Budget Cuts Won't Eliminate Birmingham High School's Beloved Music Program

In a time when 40 percent of California schools have been forced to cut art and music programs due to tight budgets, Birmingham Charter Community High School won't stop the music.

The Friends of Birmingham Community Charter High School recently honored two of the school's music teachers with a recognition award, displayed the teachers' names on the school marquis and took them both out for a night on the town with 25 students, teachers and administrators.

On a recent visit to the school, Encino Patch met up with choir director Michael Suffolk and band director Donny Sierer, who have led their nearly 200 music students to winning multiple awards, inspiring them with a love of music and a deep sense of school pride.

“We have a killer choir that sings an eclectic mix of music," Suffolk said as he pointed out many awards and programs from performances on the choir room wall. "Right now we are learning a beautiful Hebrew song, a Romanian tune with  challenging timing and also some popular songs like No Air, by Jordan Sparks.”

Principal Marsha Coates—who both Sierer and Suffolk credit with offering complete support in the way of resources, instruments and space—told Encino Patch she has no intention of cutting the music department.

Coates said that being a charter school is a great benefit because she has more control over the funding she receives from the state than if she were to receive it from the district.  

“The budget has been seriously cut this year and I’m sitting here now making difficult decisions about what we can keep, but the music program is going to be fine. If we cut those programs, we would lose 200 kids, and that would be devastating,” Coates said.

Suffolk, a graduate of CSUN, joined Birmingham in 2003. He said that last year his choir received a prestigious gold medal award that garnered an exclusive invitation to “The Heritage Festival Of Gold." The choir will perform along with the nation’s finest choirs at a gala event at St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco in April.

"The awards are great because they validate the students' hard work and get more kids interested in music," Suffolk said. "Their personalities shine, but they feel part of something bigger.”

Coates said she is looking forward to traveling with the choir to San Francisco, and is impressed with how Suffolk’s choir voluntarily stays after school to perform for the PTSA during the evening.

Sierer, a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, who plays piano and saxophone, once headed the electronics department of a movie studio. He said he had always dreamed of teaching, and knew when he moved to his home near the school, he would one day teach at Birmingham. He started there in 2009.

“I love this place. I pop out of bed a half-hour before my alarm. We meet at zero period, an hour before school even starts, but the kids show up and we tear the roof off this place,” said Sierer as he showed off his own set of trophies that included two “Battle of the Bands” first-place awards, which brought the school $3,000 each. 

Sierer said he is extremely proud of the progress his band has made under his direction and would like increase its numbers to perhaps 300 musicians. He said he believes it’s possible because many students gather outside the band room during zero period just to listen to the music.

Jeffrey Menjivar, a 17-year-old trumpet player, said he was “astonished” at the changes his teacher has made.

“It was so disorganized before," Jeffrey said. "The room and the class was dull. I feel like Mr. Sierer is a light that shined on it.

"Everything is brighter now, and I got to play solos for the very first time. Every kid should have that chance," Jeffrey said.

Sierer said because most of his students don't have the opportunity to take private lessons, he will be offering an extra class during lunchtime to teach the basics of music theory.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks," he said. "I am their private teacher and the only way they will ever get this information is if I teach it to them, so I’ll sit here with my peanut butter sandwich and do that,” Sierer said. He said he expects 15 to 20 students to show up.

His students spoke of their band teacher with appreciation.

"Mr. Sierer brings the music out of me and lets me be true to myself," said Victoria Villalobos, a 19-year-old violin and percussion player. 

Ashley Resureccion, 17, who plays flute, piccolo and clarinet, also spoke of Sierer’s dedication. “I’ve never felt so comfortable with a teacher before. It makes you feel good … proud," she said.

"We are good as a unit, we have nice instruments and now we even have uniforms,” Ashley said. 

 “These kids stay late and sing wonderful songs for us. It warms our hearts," Coates said. "The choir and the band come back with these awards and show them to the whole school. All the students are proud."