Cutler Middle School Band Jams With N.Y. Composer

The composer of the band piece “Junkyard Jam” traveled from Syracuse, N.Y., this week to practice with the Cutler Middle School Band and conduct the piece at the school concert Friday night.

“I thought it was outstanding,” composer Kevin Mixon said of the students’ rehearsal. “I loved it.”

The school’s new band director, Kevin Mazzarella, said he was researching composers of the different band pieces about a month ago when he found Mixon’s website.

Mazzarella sent an e-mail to Mixon along with a picture of the band’s drumming table.

Junkyard Jam is based on the street-style drumming in cities like Boston and New York, and one of the fathers at Cutler built the percussion table out of 5-gallon drums from Home Depot.

Mixon said he read the e-mail, saw the photo and realized the band was invested in his music. He said he tries to meet with students and band directors when he can, and decided to travel to Groton.

“It helps me stay connected to the teachers and the students who are playing my music,” he said. “I always learn something.”

In addition to composing, Mixon is the fine arts coordinator for the Syracuse City School District and was a band director for many years. He worked with Cutler’s 94-student band Friday morning. The percussionists have been practicing since January, and the full band started working on the piece in March.

Students thanked the composer and said they were thrilled he made the trip.

“That was awesome to have someone who knew what it is supposed to sound like (here), and have him mold us into exactly what he wanted instead of just looking at a piece of paper,” said Max Seifert, 14. “It was amazing.”