From First Note to Full Ensemble

The first squeak, the first harmony, the first moment a student realizes they belong—those are the beats that drive this conversation. We open the curtain on Chesapeake’s K-12 music pathway with Supervisor of Music Orion Burke and Deep Creek Middle School chorus director Taylor Mercier, exploring how early access, strong culture, and fresh opportunities turn curiosity into confidence and technique into identity.

From weekly elementary music through fifth grade strings and into robust middle and high school ensembles, we trace how a clear, intentional pathway invites every child to find their voice. Taylor shares what day one looks like with sixth graders—trust, bravery, and permission to crack—and how simple rituals build safety so students dare to sing out. Orion highlights the power of continuity and expectation: when ensembles are the norm, belonging flourishes, leadership grows, and students learn to love the long road of practice. We dig into pyramid concerts that put elementary, middle, and high school musicians on one stage, creating a living map of progress that inspires younger students and grounds older ones in purpose.

We also spotlight innovation and access. New music production and recording classes at a lab school bring industry-standard tools—DAWs, microphones, and DJ gear—into the classroom, unlocking a path for creators who might not join band, chorus, or orchestra. Guitar courses expand entry points, and adaptive instruments ensure students with mobility or dexterity challenges can participate fully. Along the way, we reflect on why Chesapeake earned recognition as a Best Community for Music Education: passionate teachers, citywide support, and a culture that values excellence on stage as much as in the classroom and on the field.

Whether you’re a parent who hears the first squeaks from the practice room or an alum who remembers the thrill of festival season, you’ll find practical ways to support young musicians: show up, treat rehearsals like practices, and celebrate the small wins that add up to artistry. Press play to hear how patience, perseverance, and community turn noise into music—and students into leaders. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a fellow music parent or educator, and leave a review to help more families find the show.

The Stories Behind Our Story

Transcript

March, Memories, And Music Month

Matt Graham 0:01

You're listening to Amplify, the Chesapeake Public Schools podcast. Your front row seat to the stories behind our story. Hey listeners, this is Matt Graham here with Jay Lewter. Matt, how have you been? I have been great.

Jay Lewter 0:25

March is here. The snow is melting away. Ball season has started. March madness. Yeah, March Madness right around the corner. One of the things we love to celebrate is Fine Arts Month and Youth Art Month, and another big one, music in our schools month. Right. Matt, I got a question for you, buddy.

Matt Graham 0:43

Okay.

Jay Lewter 0:44

Did you participate in music when you were in school?

Matt Graham 0:47

Well, yes, Jay. I was yeah, I was in the band. I played saxophone, alto and tenor.

Jay Lewter 0:55

Okay.

Matt Graham 0:56

Yep, at both middle and high school. Had some great band instructors, Mr. Oare, Mr. Carroll, both Chesapeake people.

Jay Lewter 1:03

Yeah, very nice. And marching band too. Is that right?

Matt Graham 1:06

Yes, in marching band. We had some great time, great concerts, great trips. We were in the Orange Bowl parade at one time.

Jay Lewter 1:14

Made some competition season.

Matt Graham 1:15

Competitions. Yeah, it was a good time. Made some great memories, friends that are still here today. And then you were part of an ensemble as well, right?

Jay Lewter 1:23

Yes, yes, of course. So I didn't start in music until I got to high school, but I did participate in chorus at Great Bridge High School. My claim to fame from high school is that I was an all-state tenor my senior years. Very proud moment for me.

Matt Graham 1:36

But seriously, well, are you gonna serenade us now?

Jay Lewter 1:40

Matt. I don't know our listeners would appreciate that in this moment, but uh lots of great memories, lots of trips and concerts, and so many great friends that you and I both still have today from our music experience, right? Right. And I know that our students today are making those memories in their course and being classrooms right now.

Matt Graham 1:58

That's absolutely correct. And fortunately for us, we get to bring in Orion Burke, our supervisor of music, and we also have Taylor Mercier from Deep Creek Middle. She's the chorus teacher there, and they get to sit down with us and tell us all the wonderful things that are happening with music in Chesapeake Public Schools, whether it's chorus, band, orchestra. All of it. Yeah.

Meet The Guests: Burke And Mercier

Jay Lewter 2:24

I'm excited to hear from Orion about a district-wide perspective for our music programs. And Miss Mercier is really doing some special things at Deep Creek Middle School. I can't wait for our listeners to hear. We are super excited to have with us Ms. Taylor Mercier from Deep Creek Middle School and Supervisor of Music, Mr. Orion Burke.

Matt Graham 2:46

Welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Thank you. Can you each take a moment and tell us about yourself and how you got here to Chesapeake?

Taylor Mercier 2:54

I am in my second year of teaching at Chesapeake. I'm from the Baltimore area. Um and we moved to Virginia Beach in 2023. I was in the middle of my undergrad. I had started at Georgia Southern. And when we transferred here, I went to Virginia Wesleyan. I met Billy Brown Yeomans, who was my voice teacher. And when I graduated, she said, You need to look into Chesapeake Public Schools. You need to look in. And she knows a little bit of everybody. Sure. And so she connected me with the HR department and we just rolled right in. I met my then principal and assistant principal at a hiring event, and they didn't have an opening at the time, but I still shook their hand and made the connection and gave the resume. And then I guess the teacher I replaced, he gave his notice, and that principal called me, I guess, like 30 minutes later to say, Have you have you taken a job opportunity yet? And I said, No. So they brought me in and it was a week-long interview on Tuesday, got hired on Friday.

Jay Lewter 3:48

Wow, it was meant to be. Yeah, it really was. It really was.

Taylor Mercier 3:51

I love that. Yeah.

Orion Burke 3:52

I was born and raised in Chesapeake. So I've been in the Hickory area. I went to Southeastern, then Hickory Middle, then Hickory High, moved to Hampton for a few years to get my college degrees, and then came right back to Chesapeake. And I taught at uh Sparrow Road for two years and then Crestwood for eight years after that. And then this is my second year in administration being supervisor of music. So I'm definitely a true Chesapeakean, as we would say.

Jay Lewter 4:19

Very nice. So, Mr. Burke, one of the things that families love about Chesapeake Public Schools is how students can begin music early in their career and take that all the way through high school. From a district perspective, how does that K-12 music pathway support students from their very first days in elementary school all the way through high school?

The K-12 Music Pathway

Orion Burke 4:39

Yeah, so one of the great things about us is that we do have music in all of our schools. Like you said, students are exposed from day one, their first day of kindergarten. They get to start with music instruction and they're getting this every single week, all the way up until they get to fifth grade, where they can start to choose to have the instrumental instruction with fifth grade strings. And then moving into middle school, they have the choice of doing band, chorus, or orchestra. And these programs are in all ten of our middle schools and all seven of our high schools, which is super fortunate because that's not something that you see in every single school system nationwide. And I think I think it's huge. It's a testament to the culture of music in Chesapeake. I'm a I'm a product of Chesapeake music, of course. I started violin in fifth grade and switched to bass in sixth grade. And that's what set me on my path to end up becoming a music major and then coming back and teaching here.

Jay Lewter 5:32

And so it's intentional then, right? The way that we have that designed in their curriculum.

Orion Burke 5:36

For sure. Definitely. And it really helps to get in the kids at a young age really helps to create that culture of music where this is just something that we do. Like this isn't necessarily an extra thing. This is ingrained in the kids' instruction in elementary school. I remember when fifth grade when it was time to sign up for fifth grade strings at Southeast, and it was almost expected that you sign up for fifth grade strings. Like, hey, when you get to fifth grade, this is what we do here. You know, it wasn't necessarily like an extra thing. It was that was almost the expectation. That was the norm. And then getting to middle school, that was still the norm to, you know, take an ensemble class. So yeah.

Matt Graham 6:12

So Taylor, Orion just described that progression from K through 12, elementary, middle, and high. What does that actually look like when new sixth grade students arrive in your middle school course room until they leave Deep Creek Middle School as a rising freshman?

Jay Lewter 6:30

But oh my gracious, those sixth graders, when they come to middle school, they are deer in the headlights.

Building Culture And Early Buy-In

Taylor Mercier 6:35

Yes, they are, but they get so used to it right away. Middle school is hard, man. You know, it's tough. It's tough being a middle schooler. It is. And I know I'm new in the game, but I empathize so much with them. People used to say, Taylor, I think you're called to teach middle school. And I was like, no way. It's just it's so scary. And then when I met them, I was like, oh, these are my people. Sixth grade, I really off the bat, I want them to be brave. I want them to be brave, which is the hardest age to do that at. Middle school is the hardest. So I think at sixth grade, if we can just feel comfortable in our bodies, comfortable to make a mistake, our voices are gonna crack. My voice cracks. If we can be comfortable with that, that's when we can really start making good music. And then once we get to high school, we're preparing good breath because eighth graders can, middle schoolers can do this stuff. So if you hold them to this standard, then they get to high school and then they're the cool kids. Then they've got the talent. They don't feel like they have to catch up. It's hard to be a middle schooler. And so I really do everything I can to make them comfortable. Trust, trust me. And then if they can trust me, they can trust each other.

Jay Lewter 7:43

And Ms. Mercer, one of the things that we've heard about is the way that you are bridging that connection between elementary, middle, and high school through things like pyramid concerts.

Taylor Mercier 7:55

Yeah, those are cool. I did not grow up with that. The pyramid concert thing is it's so homey, it's so nice. I think it's great for the elementary schoolers. We involved our elementary schoolers this year. Super cool for them to see big kids and big, big kids, you know, see where they're going, especially the fifth graders. They can kind of see me, get a little bit of an idea what they're working with. And for the middle schoolers, especially, I think it's a good reminder that what we do in middle school matters because the high school always does really cool pieces. The high school always does a piece that my kids are like, Miss Mercy, can we do that piece? And they're always so excited. And so it's so, it's great for them to see. And I hope that the high schoolers, it's a good experience for them to see where they were. I think once you get to high school, you forget that you were just that a year ago. And then I think another side thing that I love is I love getting to see my kids from last year. Of course. Getting to see my eighth graders that are ninth graders. It's it's just such a community, it's so community-based. It's awesome. I love that about Chesapeake.

Jay Lewter 8:57

One of the things that I love is it gives our elementary students something to aspire to. Yeah. And to look forward to in middle school. And then it gives our middle schoolers something to aspire to as well. That one day keep working on your craft and you'll be able to do what those older juniors and seniors are doing in your in your top performing group at high school.

Taylor Mercier 9:17

Yeah, we just did an awesome Black History Month assembly, and I had my eighth graders sing, lift every voice and sing. And the first assembly was them, was eighth graders performing for eighth graders, which is tough. But then once we got to the assembly where we were singing for sixth graders, I just had a quick moment with my eighth graders and I said, You're the big kids. Be the big kids, be the kids that you wanted to watch when you were in sixth grade. I really try to drive that home because once they get that sense of what I do matters, they'll put more effort.

Inside A Middle School Chorus

Matt Graham 9:46

Well, I have to say, as a former middle school teacher, I know what you go through, right? But it is at such a crucial and critical point in a student's musical journey. And you were alluding to this. Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?

Taylor Mercier 10:03

Yeah. I mean, for my guys, their voices are changing, their voices are cracking, they're everybody's bodies are changing, our brain chemistry. And like I said, if you can get kids to trust, at least you as a teacher, you can do so much. You know, the saying kids won't learn from somebody they don't like. I agree with that. But especially in the singing world, it's so vulnerable. It's so vulnerable. And if you can get a kid to love music in middle school, then they're ready at high school. You're not trying to get them to catch the bug, they already have it. So I'm also trying to make sure that Mark Rutherford at the high school, right? Deep Creek High, he's getting these kids that are passionate to make music because he's a passionate teacher too. I want my kids to be passionate about music. And even if they're not passionate about music, they at least learn to like themselves a little bit more. That's at least what I can get my kids to learn.

unknown 10:56

Yeah.

Orion Burke 10:56

I think if I can jump in, I think one of the coolest things about the middle school age is that they're still willing to try things. Because a lot of times when we get to high school, if I walk up to a senior in high school and say, like, hey, you know, you should try course, they're like, I've been going 18 years of my life, never singing. I'm not going to start today. But with middle schoolers, you can you can really walk up to a kid and like suggest something, they'll be like, Oh, let me try this. And then sometimes you help them find where their passion actually is. And it's something that they may not have ever thought about. But with that middle school age, they're still willing to step out there a lot, you know, while they're still trying to find themselves. So yeah, that's that's one of the coolest things about middle school to me.

Jay Lewter 11:38

Another great component about all of our ensembles, all of our music ensembles, is that it gives students an identity. It gives you a place and and a group to relate to, to work on goals with, to work on common goals with. I think that is such an important part of that adolescent journey in middle and in high school that you have a sense of belonging in that ensemble. Isn't that right?

Pyramid Concerts And Community

Orion Burke 12:03

Yeah, for sure. I mean, that was one of my sell-in points when I taught fifth grade strings. Because when we start fifth grade strings, we don't we don't have a roster at the beginning of the year. The kids have to sign up for it. So we go in and do our recruitment speeches. But that was one of my biggest sell-in points each year was that you had this consistent friend group where your math class might change, you know, y'all might get split up for this or that. But in that band class or that orchestra class, you know you're going to have your people there year after year. And even if y'all split middle schools and then come back in high school together, you know you're gonna be with these people. And some of my best friends that I still have to this day are people who I've played in musical groups with growing up, even from high school or from college. Some of my best friends are musicians.

Taylor Mercier 12:46

I do want to say, speaking about making a home, I'm a super silly person, but we do a couple of silly things. I took an idea from the teacher I replaced, I tweaked it a little bit. Every Monday, um we do good times where we throw around, I have these two little stuffed animals that have become the class mascots, and we say a good time that happened over the weekend, just one because we want to take the whole class, but we share something good. And then every other Wednesday, we have whiny Wednesday where we do the same thing and they can complain because middle schoolers complain all the time. But I let them, we do it once every other week. But I think it's really interesting, especially as the year goes on, because you see kids share suddenly, kids that maybe didn't say anything for weeks and suddenly start to open up. And I'm really grateful that I have gotten that level of comfortability in my class. I care so much about us being a community, and it really does make a difference.

Jay Lewter 13:42

So, Ms. Ms. Mercier, I gotta brag on you for a minute because Mr. Burke and your principal, Ms. Davenport, have told us so much about you. But in addition to your passion for your students and your passion for teaching and your passion for music, they've also told us you have a real passion for community involvement. And they talked about your community performances and festival competitions. And it sounds like you've really established quite a program in a very short time at Deep Creek Middle School. Can you talk to us about that? What's the what's the secret sauce that you've got over there at Deep Creek?

Taylor Mercier 14:13

I am a very creative person and I'm happy to take a risk. I'm happy to ask because what's the worst? You're gonna get told no. My high school growing up, our our choir, we did so much. We did, you know, Valentine's Day singing, we did all of these competitions, and it makes a difference. It makes kids care about it more if they're doing more than just their spring and winter concerts. Oh, we performed at Busch Gardens. You know, we we do all of these things. We went and see gospel choirs. It makes a difference. It makes the parents buy in more. It definitely makes you a program rather than a class. But it's so important for kids to see choir outside of class. Sometimes I think they forget that people do this for a living, you know? And and it's always amazing. I love both years. We've gone to see a gospel choir with the Virginia Arts Festival, and it's the highlight of the year.

Jay Lewter 15:04

Mr. Burke, I'm gonna ask you the same question. What is Miss Mercier's uh secret to success?

Orion Burke 15:09

I think, honestly, I think it's it's the energy and willing to be herself with the students because you can tell that the students really connect to Miss Mercier and they love the goofy nature.

Taylor Mercier 15:20

They're so used to it too.

Confidence, Vulnerability, And Voice Changes

Orion Burke 15:22

You know, and they love the nurturing environment and the goofy nature, but then at the same time, they also know that they're getting better and they know that they're being held to a high standard. And it's just like when you can find that perfect cross-section of relating to the students, but then also pushing them, that that's when you can really do great things. And everybody who's interacted with Miss Mercier, whether it's the high school director or you know, administrators or you know, colleagues around there, they they all say the same thing.

Matt Graham 15:48

No doubt. And those kids are definitely lucky to have you. So we know that music develops more than just performance skills, getting on the stage and playing the instrument. What are those lifelong skills that students are gaining in your classroom? I mean, what makes music education so important?

Orion Burke 16:06

Music is it's one of the subjects that really covers everything. Of course, there's the scientific side of things where you know you have the cross-hemisphere connection in your brain because you're having to make both hands work together or sometimes work separately to complete a task. There's plenty of research about math scores and science scores and reading, things like that. But then also having a sense of belonging at school, which we touched on a little bit earlier. Some kids, that's why they come to school. They, yes, they might make good grades, but it's like they look forward to coming to that chorus class or they look forward to coming to that orchestra or that band class every day because that's where they thrive. That's where they're around people who are similar to them. But then past that, I mean, you're learning leadership skills. You might be a section leader, even if you're not a section leader, you might be the only person on your instrument, and you have to be a leader out there because if you don't play your part, it's not getting played. It's not getting heard at all. Past that, I think one of the biggest things, especially in the current world with technology, where at any point I can Google something, at any point I can ask AI for an answer and get these things instantly. Music is one of those things where you have to work at it and you have to you have to wait. You have to learn patience and perseverance because you're not going to all of a sudden pick up an instrument and then be ready to play a gig the next day. It's like, no, this might take years. There are there are instruments that I've been playing for years and I still won't take a gig gig on them because I know there's somebody out there who knows way better than me at it. But also, you know, learning, for lack of a better term, learning how to fail. Because sometimes you audition for the spot, you don't make it. Yeah. You know, and learning how to handle that situation, how to self-assess and self-reflect and see, okay, here's how I want to do, maybe I need to work harder, you know, next year. I think I think that's a big thing, you know, to to sometimes have an audition and not make it. That's a huge, you know, life skill to learn.

Matt Graham 18:04

So for parents that are listening out there, if you hear your kid with the clarinet and you hear a screech or two, it's okay.

Ensembles As Identity And Belonging

Taylor Mercier 18:12

Mom, thank you for listening to me play the saxophone in the fourth grade. That's right.

Matt Graham 18:16

It's gonna be okay. It's gonna take that time. And and they're developing so many skills that you were just mentioning. Yeah, for sure.

Orion Burke 18:23

One of my things I would do with my fifth graders is get them set up, and it would be like the first time we're about to use the bow. And then I would demonstrate how it's gonna sound, and then I would make like the worst sound ever. And the kids would be looking, I was like, no, that's that's what it's about to sound like, but it'll get better. It'll get better, you know. But that's what it's about to sound like right now. But but that's okay. And I I'd love hearing from parents seeing that first concert compared to the next one, and then especially through middle school, where they're just like, okay, when when did my kid actually get good at this? Like, yeah.

Jay Lewter 18:53

Well, you know, not every family is a musical family, Matt.

Orion Burke 18:56

No.

Jay Lewter 18:57

So for our families at home, how do they support their children's musical growth, even if they themselves don't feel like they're a musician?

Taylor Mercier 19:06

Go to the concerts. Nice. Go to their things. It makes such a difference. Being the conductor, I get to watch their faces and so many kids, you watch their eyes just looking for mom. It makes a difference. Come to their concerts, look at their involvement. If I'm talking about chorus, look at their involvement in chorus the same way you would a sport. Think of it as it's not just a class, it is so community team based. If you can look at it that way, then the kids realize, oh, I should take it seriously too. But come to the concerts. If you can, I understand some parents, it's it's hard to make it, but if you can be there, you're making a bigger difference than you realize.

Orion Burke 19:48

In addition to that, here in Chesapeake, the resources are here. And it's one of those things where if this is something that your child is really interested in, there are plenty of resources, you know, to really, you know, dig into this, like and at a very high level. You know, we're very fortunate.

Matt Graham 20:02

You're already setting up the stage for what I was got ready to ask you here. Because Chesapeake Public Schools was named a best community for music education in 2025.

Jay Lewter 20:13

Hey now.

Matt Graham 20:14

If you don't know, now you know. So what specific criteria or strengths do you think helped our division earn this national recognition?

Traditions, Joy, And Classroom Community

Orion Burke 20:22

So the biggest, the biggest thing, the biggest thing are the teachers that we have. We have talented teachers, we have teachers who are passionate about what they do, we have teachers who love coming to work every day and they really buy into the overall vision of what Chesapeake is trying to put forth. But then in addition to that, from the top down, we have a superintendent who was a former musician himself. He played tuba. I did not know that. He is a tuba player. I've been trying to get him to play, but I'm gonna get him before he leave. There he goes. But between Dr. Codden and then, you know, some of our other chiefs, uh, Dr. Joppy is a musician, even through my department, curriculum and instruction. I mean, you know, Dr. Goodwin is not a musician herself, but she's huge into the art. She has a daughter who's at governor school. We value the fine arts in Chesapeake. And it's one of those things where it's just like we have the support from the top down, and then also we have the teachers who are really doing it, and we're able to create that just culture of music in Chesapeake. And it's it's really one of those places where districts look to us to see, okay, what's Chesapeake doing? Okay, how are they doing that? You know, how did they, you know, how did they put 41 kids into the district band? Things like that. So, you know, it's it's great.

Jay Lewter 21:36

Absolutely. It's part of the vision in Chesapeake that we are excelling in the classroom and on the athletic field and on stage and our music ensembles as well. I I think that that's part of the vision from the start. And so I would ask take out your crystal ball. What does the future hold for Chesapeake schools in the area of music?

Orion Burke 21:55

Honestly, we're just trying to expand, expand opportunities for for students. So one of the biggest Things that we were able to do this year was at Oscar Smith Middle School with the Smith Tech, the computer science lab school that we have there. We were able to implement a music production and recording class. In that class, students are they learn to make their own beats, they learn to record music, and they're using industry standard equipment, microphones just like we're using right here. They learn how to DJ, and there are all kinds of things. But one of the coolest things about it is that it taps into another group of kids who may not be the band orchestra chorus kids. There are plenty of kids who are walking around who have musical talent. They would fit into a music class, but they just might not be the ensemble player. Right. Being able to provide more opportunities for students to connect with music in different ways. You know, we have guitar classes in all of our high schools. We've expanded our adaptive music programs in the elementary schools and in high schools. But we have switch adapted instruments for kids who might have mobility and dexterity difficulties. We have switch adapted instruments for them so that if someone wants to engage in music, we're gonna make it happen for them, no matter what that means.

Matt Graham 23:12

What brings you the most joy about leading or teaching music in Chesapeake public schools?

Taylor Mercier 23:17

Oh, there's a lot. There's many things. I think it it's just, I mean, it's hard because I feel like most teachers would say this, but it's that smile, it's that spark, it's that smile when your class is singing in three-part harmony for the first time. You know, it just it just happened recently where in one of my bells, it's my seventh grade boys, and everything's changing. And it's been a little hard at the beginning of the semester, but then one warm-up we did, it was just solid three-part harmony. And in the corner I saw one of my sopranos and she had this big smile. And I called her out. I said, Why are you smiling? And she said, That was just so good, you know. And it's and then you see the confidence after that. I just want kids to learn to like even the tiniest bit about themselves. And if that's their musical talent, that's great. If it's their bravery to be the first one to sing when nobody else wants to, it's that spark, it's that smile when I can see that I got them. I got 'em. It's the best.

Orion Burke 24:16

One of the coolest things about being in my position now is that I'm able to celebrate everybody's successes for the whole city now. So really just seeing the students fulfilling their goals and their aspirations. I was just working earlier, I'm looking through our list of kids who made the all-state ensembles, and we have 30 students total.

Taylor Mercier 24:34

Shout out to my kids.

Orion Burke 24:36

Between um between band course and orchestra who made the state ensemble, including some kids who were number one on their instrument, the top player in the whole state.

Jay Lewter 24:46

Wonderful.

Orion Burke 24:46

Is here in Chesapeake. So I love seeing things like that where it's just a testament to the great instruction that we have. So I love seeing those and being able to provide the things that we need to keep being successful and keep these programs rolling.

Lifelong Skills Music Teaches

Jay Lewter 24:58

Listeners, we encourage you to get out there during the month of March for Music in Our Schools month to enjoy some of the fantastic performances that we're looking forward to from all of our music ensembles. If you'd like to learn more, you can check in on your child school website to find out what ensembles are performing. And everyone will see you next time on Amplified.

Matt Graham 25:17

Jay, I think you need to serenate us.

Jay Lewter 25:20

Absolutely not.

Matt Graham 25:24

We hope you enjoyed the stories behind our story on this episode of Amplified, the Chesapeake Public Schools podcast. Connect with us at cpschools.com forward slash amplified, and be sure to subscribe or follow us wherever you get your podcasts.