Music education is taking on a whole new rhythm across Community Consolidated School District 21 through Bucket Band clubs at Riley Elementary School and London Middle School. Armed with drumsticks, plastic buckets, glowing lights (occasionally) and teamwork, students are discovering confidence, collaboration and creativity…one beat at a time.
At Riley, the club is open to fourth- and fifth-grade students, while London’s program welcomes any interested middle schooler. Though the groups may look different across grade levels, the mission remains the same: giving students a fun, engaging way to connect through music.
For Bryan Itzkowitz, general music teacher at Riley, the idea came naturally when he transitioned from teaching band into elementary general music.
“I’ve always loved watching drumlines and bucket drumming groups that perform with incredible coordination and energy,” Itzkowitz said. “I thought it would be a really fun and engaging way for our students to experience that same excitement.”
Now in its second year, Riley’s Bucket Band continues to grow. This season included 33 fourth graders and 17 fifth graders, with students learning everything from rhythm reading to ensemble performance skills.
At the beginning of each season, sessions focus heavily on fundamentals. Students learn where to strike the bucket for different sounds, how to read bucket drum music, and how to stay in sync as a group before eventually building toward performances.
“Every single performer is equally important,” Itzkowitz added. “They start to understand that when everyone works together with precision and focus, the result is something much bigger than any one person.”
As the year progresses, students begin taking ownership of the music. During Riley’s final concert this year, fifth graders even helped arrange Katy Perry’s “Roar” for bucket drums, creating rhythms and performance ideas of their own.
For fifth grader Noah M., the club sparked a growing interest in percussion.
“What made me want to join in the beginning is I like drumming a lot,” the student said. “Now I’m doing band for percussion.”
The student said some of the group’s most challenging songs included “Ease on Down the Road” because of its fast rhythms, while “Little Shop of Horrors” became a favorite performance piece.
The growth over two years has been noticeable.
“Well, I used to go really slowly while we were doing rhythms,” the student said. “This year, I’m getting faster with my rhythms.”
Fourth grader Cecelia C. joined for similar reasons.
“I wanted to join because I like instruments,” the student said. “I didn’t want to do orchestra, but next year I want to do band, so I chose to do bucket band.”
The experience has changed how both listen to music outside of school, with each student saying they notice more rhythm in songs now. They also both hope to continue bucket band opportunities at London.
Over at the middle school, seventh grader Kylie L. and sixth grader Violet P-F. say the club offers a unique opportunity that stands out from traditional music programs.
Violet first became interested in the group after attending her older sister’s performances, while Kylie became aware after club sponsor Lorelei Seither, general music teacher at London, informed her.
“I always enjoyed going to her concerts and found it really cool,” Violet said. “I was really excited once I got to middle school that I could join, too.”
Seither said the club creates a welcoming environment where students can explore music differently while building relationships with one another.
“Bucket Band gives students a chance to be creative, take risks, and work together in a really supportive setting,” she added. “It’s exciting to watch students grow more confident each week and see how proud they are when they perform together.”
The students described the club as approachable and collaborative, even for students who may not have prior percussion experience.
While both are involved in other activities at the middle school – for instance, Violet also plays saxophone in band – they said Bucket Band offers a different atmosphere.
“It’s more chill because there aren’t as many people,” Kylie added. “If you mess up, they may just not know.”
Beyond performance skills, Itzkowitz said the club helps students develop focus, teamwork, and confidence that extend well outside the music room.
“Some students who start out a little hesitant become leaders in the group by the end of the season,” he said.
For many students, the lasting memories matter just as much as the music itself.
“Years from now, I want them to remember standing in the gym with their friends, the lights off, the glowing drumsticks, and the excitement of performing together,” Itzkowitz said. “If they leave with a love for making music, pride in what they accomplished as a group, and the memory of how fun it was to create something together, then we did our job.”
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