Teaching the Power of Music

Damien Kelly has always loved music. From his childhood in Ireland, to his studies at the Manhattan School of Music, to his current job as a teacher at the Smith School, Kelly has poured himself into his passion, organizing his life around the joyous serenity of playing the guitar. Now, two years after founding the Smith School of Music with his wife, Jessica, Kelly is even more devoted to teaching the power of sound.

Six years ago, Kelly began teaching at the Smith School, an alternative school on the Upper West Side for students seeking a smaller learning environment. He built up the music program, drawing on the techniques he used when teaching music in Ireland and all throughout grad school. Throughout the beginning of his tenure at the Smith School, Kelly taught private lessons, but eventually decided to consolidate all of his teaching into one program. Hence, the Smith School of Music was born.

The Smith School of Music is open to any student, regardless of musical ability or experience, and prides itself on inclusivity.

“We have such a variety of students in our school,” Kelly explained. “We have students that struggle academically but are extremely talented ... and have a special niche with music.”

Jessica agreed, noting that “some kids aren’t great in aspects of traditional school, but could be very talented at an instrument or simply really enjoy it, and that’s so important ... We see kids that struggle academically or socially, but then they can play in the showcase and their parents are just beaming in the audience, and I don’t think there’s any substitute.”

“Positive Feedback”

Given that Kelly works at the Smith School, he focuses on students who crave a smaller environment, while other teachers — all of whom are professional musicians — devote their time to children who thrive in a larger, more social setting. Yet teachers are not struggling to partition their time; the music school is still quite new and its foundational years were splintered by the coronavirus pandemic. As of right now, the Smith School of Music only has about 15 students, but the Kellys are eager to recruit more.

Among those who are currently enrolled is 17-year-old Elias Shaffer, a keyboardist-turned-drummer who is a student at the Smith School and began taking supplemental lessons upon the music school’s founding. His mother, Lauren Shaffer, described her son’s experience as overwhelmingly positive, explaining that “because he’s good, people enjoy what he’s doing and give him positive feedback, so I’ve seen his confidence go way up.”

Shaffer was nervous about how her son, and indeed all students, would adapt to online learning, given that music is such a collaborative experience and Zoom prohibits a teacher and student from playing at the same time. Yet the transition proved easier than expected, in large part because her son already felt comfortable with Kelly.

“Music was something [Elias] was attached to and engaged with before, but now, with the pandemic, we’ve realized that music is such a good thing in our childrens’ lives,” Shaffer said. “It keeps them connected and keeps them inspired. It’s something so positive to get our kids off their phones and out of the doldrums.” Additionally, music teaches one how to appreciate delayed gratification, a skill many lack in this era of instant social media likes.

The novel experience has been elevated by the emphasis the Smith School of Music put on making online lessons feel productive and engaging. The Kellys have turned their second bedroom into a quasi studio, one complete with lights, microphones and a good internet connection.

Free Trial Lessons

Despite the relative ease of acclimating to the world of Zoom, the pandemic has made the recruitment of new students particularly challenging. Many children are reluctant to explore new hobbies during this time or try working with new teachers.

“Everyone is trying to maintain normality rather than move onto something new,” Kelly explained. He is eager to increase the school’s enrollment in the hopes of one day being able to award scholarships.

The Smith School of Music currently offers free trial lessons for those who are unsure about committing to lessons, but he is not yet able to provide discounted lessons to families that can’t pay the full tuition.

“[Providing scholarships] is my dream. I always say that if I won the lottery, I would just keep doing what I’m doing but make it more accessible to everyone,” Kelly said.

In order to achieve that goal, the Smith School of Music needs to increase its number of students. According to Shaffer, nearly anyone would benefit from learning alongside the Kellys and their team.

“I’ve referred neighbors and friends and nephews to Damien and Jessica because they know how to rock out, but they’re also so gentle with the kids,” she said. “They know how to make the kids feel safe.”