THE MUSIC MAN: Continental teacher shares his passion

Continental School has a new version of “The Music Man” — and students, teachers and parents are singing his praises.

Musician and teacher extraordinaire Dan Lambertson arrived in late October and has been instilling a love of music in kids from first- through eighth-grades.

Whether playing an instrument, working on tempo, singing or learning to read musical notes he’s got the kids marching to different beats and motivated to enjoy music.

While visiting his cousin in Tucson this summer, Lambertson decided it was time for a change. He headed home to Ohio, where he’d taught music privately for 15 years and had a background in church music, packed his bags and is now on the Continental School campus as early as 6 a.m. often staying to 5:30 or 6 p.m. because, he said, “There’s stuff to do.”

Observing as he teaches a class of second-graders it was easy to see this is a man who loves his work. With music booming, kids are marching in place, learning about musical notes, rhythm and beat. It was impossible to sit still and not toe-tap along.

Teaching the song “Places in the World” active eight-year-olds are getting practice in geography and reading lyrics as they sing:

“Bombay, Cape May, Mandalay, Baffin Bay, Baghdad, Leningrad, Ashkabad, Trinidad, L.A., Norway, Paraguay, Monterey, Singapore, Ecuador, Bangalore, Baltimore...

These are places in the world…”

As an instrumental music major in college, Lambertson plays every instrument except guitar. He enjoys drums and woodwind and percussion instruments, but says the saxophone is his favorite. “It was the main and only instrument in high school; that’s what I went to college on.”

One might assume a man who is so musically inclined comes from a musical family, but Lambertson marched to a different drummer. His three brothers were active in sports; the only “musical talent” in the family, he said, was his mother, who was a baton twirler with her high school band.

He credits his band director in junior high school, Mr. Kinney, for seeing his abilities and guiding him to a career in music.

Whether teaching second-graders or middle school kids he’s got them involved in a variety of activities during each session. There’s no time to get bored. Some children begin by reading notes and playing the xylophone; then he’ll move them to the drums or cymbals.

To a group of fifth-graders timidly practicing notes on the xylophone he says, “Don’t play like you’re afraid of making a mistake. Mistakes are OK now.”

To a boy not playing a snare drum with gusto, Lambertson says, “You gotta play like this is the most important thing in your life.”

To another boy who was out of sync he says lightheartedly, “I try to be kind, but sometimes if it’s bad, it’s bad.” He laughs and the class enjoys the repartee.

With warmth, innate kindness and respect he shows one student how to use the cymbals. “They’re very loud instruments,” Lambertson says; then he demonstrates the close distance to be used with cymbals.

Musically inclined or not, Lambertson has the gift that it takes to bring out the best in young learners’ musical abilities.

Asked what progress he’s seen in students in the three months he’s been there, he said, “The kids who were reading notes and playing the xylophone before; they couldn’t do that three months ago.

“They’re relating to something that’s interesting to do. Kids want to move, to put their hands on music—and I put instruments into their hands.”

How does he work with a student who may resist? It’s not a concern because students in all grades look forward to coming to his music classes. “I do so many different things; a kid may not like one aspect but will pick up on another. And I vary the programs.”

The tiered music room in Continental School’s lower campus building is filled with instruments but Lambertson said many are in need of repair. He fixes what he can and said he’d love to have a saxophone, a trumpet, some flutes and a clarinet or two. He’s asking anyone in the community who might have such an instrument sitting quietly on a shelf if they’d like to donate it to the school and allow it to make music once again.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net