Mighty Music Power Rangers

The Overture

The Three Musketeers of music at Wredling are an unstoppable trio. Band, Choir, and Orchestra all thrive at Wredling. Wredling may have some light-hearted competition between them all, students comparing flutes, violins, and singing, but at the end of the day, collaboration happens often. Students can easily take multiple, like choir and orchestra, or participate in combined ensemble extracurriculars. The Wredling Symphony was a group of both orchestra and band students who played a shorter arrangement of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. Additionally, the Jazz Band for 7th and 8th graders is another group, which could have a guitar, and usually a bassist, like an upright bass played in the orchestra. The larger picture is that music at Wredling is greatly interconnected among the three subjects.

The music education at Wredling is important to many, and while a large amount of appreciation can be handed to administration at the school and district level for their promotion and facilitation, likely even greater appreciation can go to the people you know better, the music teachers. From Mr. Quiñonez and Mr. Malovance co-directing the many bands, to Mr. Pesek and Mr. Kovach co-directing all the orchestras, and Mrs. Bach directing all of choir by herself, these five make up the nuts and bolts of Wredling music education. The big question is, what do they have to say, what is their perspective, and what is so powerful about music?

Hearing from the Horns

Interviewee: Mr. Quiñonez
Interviewer: Jaxon Smith

Mr. Quiñonez has taught band for almost two years now, but has never been highlighted. Today, Mr. Quiñonez gets a spotlight.

How did you get into music and education?

“Well, I joined band in fifth grade, and started as a baritone player. At the end of my freshman year, I got switched to Tuba. I didn’t intend to go to college, and then I got a factory job, realized that I hate it, and there’s no way I want to do that for the rest of my life. Then, I figured I’d go to college, and the only thing I was interested in was music, and while I was there, I realized, oh, education is pretty cool.”

What do you love about teaching band?

“I feel like—the thing I like about teaching, and teaching in general, is that every single day is a different day. Every year, you get a different group of students, all with different personalities that just seeing them interact with each other in a positive room, to create one unified moment or one unified project, I think, is really inspiring, and the reason that keeps me going—just seeing you guys working hard and all.”

Which groups do you work with/teach both in school and for extracurriculars?

“Jazz Band, Honors Band, Jazz XP. [Then], eighth-grade band, [and] sixth-grade band with Mr. Malovance.

As you are a music teacher, what is your favorite music to listen to outside of school?

“Favorite music to listen to outside of school would have to be a toss-up between New Orleans brass band music, uh, just like the New Orleans street jazz bands I think are really cool, or, like, Latin music, I like banda music, I like reggaeton. Anything Latin…Bad Bunny, that’s my guy.”

I think a lot of band kids are curious. Do you enjoy being one of the teachers many students see as more of a friend/peer, since you are younger?

Mr. Q: “I—I enjoy the fact that kids are comfortable around me and willing to talk to me. Uh…some of the memes…are a bit much, but… I don’t know how to say this without encouraging the behavior…please calm down with the memes, but I’m glad you guys are having fun.”

Someone in the back of the bus (as this was recorded during the 2025-2026 music extracurricular field trip for Music In The Parks): “Queezer!”

“yep…”

Speaking of your bond with many students, what is the strangest stunt students have pulled on you, or maybe a nickname they referred to you as?

The second student: “Yo, Mr. Q, I’m going to play ‘Party in the U-S-A’ later today!”

A third student: “Cool.”

Mr. Q: The, uh…Q flag… with my face on a pink American flag…was a huge shock at the end of last year, and, uh…the fact that there are now more than one student, which is still too many, uh…now own a shirt with my face on it. It is wild that this is my curse.”

The second student: I’m guessing most of them are eighth graders…”

Mr. Q: “…Oh yeah…”

Anything else you would like to say about band, music, or just in general?

Mr. Q: “Regardless of whether or not a student actually continues on in band, in high school, the goal of my class is always for students to gain an appreciation for music and to gain an appreciation for what teamwork is, and be able to appreciate how much work goes into putting on a concert, and how much work it takes to come together and put together a large project, uh and I hope that the journey to get to that endpoint is something that stays with students for as long as possible. So, even if you’re not continuing on in high school, just the appreciation of music, and the collaborative work that you put in is a skill that you carry on for the rest of your life.”

Mr. Q: “Also, please stop with the memes…

Fourth student: “No!”

*Bonus Question* What is your Dunkin’ Order? (He was holding one at the moment, might as well ask)

“My Dunkin’ order…Uh…very basic large vanilla iced coffee, no cream, no sugar”

Interviewee: Mr. Malovance
Interviewer: Jaxon Smith

Mr. Malovance started his first year teaching band at Wredling. He taught at another school in the past, but is now one of Wredling’s own band teachers.

Since not everyone might be familiar with you yet, would you like to introduce yourself?

“Well, let’s see, it’s my first year at Wredling, but this is my eighteenth year teaching, so, I taught seventeen years out in Wheeling, but I have been living in St. Charles for about nine years, so it’s nice to teach in the community where I live, and where my kids will eventually go through Wredling as well, but uh…what else. I’ve done a lot of teaching. I play in a brass group outside of school called the Chicago Brass Band, that’s where I met my wife. Uh.. What else? I mean, that’s probably it right now, I’m enjoying teaching at Wredling. All the kids are really great and work really hard. I’m looking forward to more years to come.”

How did you get into music and education?

Mr. Malovance: “Well, I don’t know, should we tell him the uh…Why I chose the trumpet.”

Mr. Q: “Yeah.”

Mr. Malovance: “So, I chose trumpet…Well, first of all, I come from a family of musicians. My grandfather played trombone, my dad played trombone, my brother and sister were in band before me, so I was definitely going to band. I owe playing trumpet to Joey Gladstone from Full House. Do you guys know that show at all? “

Mr. Q (unc status initiating): “Yes, I do.”

Mr. Malovance: “When I was in—it must have been kindergarten or preschool, I was watching Full House, and I saw Joey Gladstone, he did an impersonation of a trumpet, and when I saw that, I was like, I’m going to play the trumpet. It was ever since then, I was like—mind you, fifth grade was when we chose our instruments, but I was like, from preschool on, I was like, I’m going to play trumpet, so I owe my career to Joey Gladstone. Uh, but as far as Music Ed., I always knew that I wanted to do something in music. I went to DePaul University, and at the time, uh, I needed a summer job, so I did summer camp counseling, uh, at the park district, and really enjoyed working with the kids, and it kind of…directed me towards going into music education.”

What do you love about teaching band?

“Yeah, I would say it’s two things. First of all, I’m never bored teaching band, like you see all these desk jobs, right, that I feel like would be boring, I don’t think I’ve ever been bored actually teaching. I love music, I have a passion for music, so that’s definitely a big part of it. I think one of the best things is seeing the growth from students, and what’s nice about being a band teacher is that we’ll see you guys from sixth grade through eighth grade, and even like high school, if we keep up with you guys, and it’s really cool to see the progress and be a part of that, because we’re so passionate about music, and so, we just want to share that with you guys, and then, we totally see that when you progress and get better.”

Which groups do you work with/teach both in school and for extracurriculars?

Mr. Malovance: “So, I do sixth grade with Mr. Q, seventh grade, jazz, and honors band.”

Mr. Q: “Bassoon club…”

Mr. Malovance: “Bassoon club! Yes! Bassoon club.

Mr. Q: “Can’t forget our favorite group of three students.”

Mr. Malovance: “I love it. I’ve never done bassoon club. I love it.”

As you are a music teacher, what is your favorite music to listen to outside of school?

Mr. Malovance: “I like listening to all music. I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music, and brass band music because I play in a brass band, but [also] pop music. I like classic rock.”

How does it feel to be one of the new teachers this year?

“For me, it was just changing after being at one school for 17 years. That was a bit of an adjustment, just from being so used to a way that a school functions, and the logistical things, like the way grading works, and the way attendance works, and who to go see if you have this question [versus] who to go see if you have this question. The teaching part…teaching is teaching wherever you go, and, you know, middle schoolers, there’s not really a difference in that, but just all the logistical things, about just being in a new environment. So, that’s been an adjustment, but it’s also been nice being on a supportive team. A lot of schools, there’s only one music teacher in the entire school, or like an orchestra teacher and a band teacher, so you don’t have a big community. So, what’s nice about Wredling and the district is that there’s a nice, big community of music teachers, so that’s made it a lot easier.”

Anything else you would like to say about band, music, or just in general?

Mr. Malovance: “Band is the place to be. No, just for all the people who play music, what’s nice about music is that it’s something you can do for the rest of your life. You don’t have to be a professional. You don’t have to major in music. So, it’s just something that you can take with you, and so, yeah, continue playing music. Go band.”

Mr. Q: “Go band.”

Mr. Q: “Go band!

Speaking with the Strings

Interviewee: Mr. Kovach
Interviewer: Jaxon

Mr. Kovach has taught at Wredling for 16 years. He serves as one of the orchestra teachers here and has also taught general music.

How did you get into music and education?

“I was fortunate to have some music teachers that were willing to help me catch up, because I was a late stuff as a formal musician. So, some of my teachers were the type of teachers to ‘C’mon after school, help you do this, do that, whatever’. That really helped me try to get caught up, but also realize that would be a way for me to pay it back by paying it forward to future students.”

What do you love about teaching orchestra?

“I have always enjoyed watching an orchestra, and the movements of the bows, and the visceral aspect of that. I grew to really appreciate the music a lot, and so, over time, I just kind of kept going in that direction more and more in order to enjoy it.”

Which groups do you work with/teach both in school and for extracurriculars?

“So, I teach eighth-grade [orchestra], seventh-grade [orchestra, and sixth-grade lessons, along with team-teaching redhawk strings and chamber orchestra.”

As you are a music teacher, what is your favorite music to listen to outside of school?

“I can’t think of a particular favorite that I like. Usually, this stage, I’m really more about branching out, and just, like, whatever comes up. Friends will suggest, or colleagues will suggest stuff, and kind of following that path, and wherever that path leads is fun.”

I think some people may want to know, but it might cause some disagreement… Which instrument in orchestra is your favorite?

“Uh…”

“I don’t want to sound like I’m giving you a platitude answer, but, like, I can’t. I play them all enough to where I found that I enjoy certain things about each one, and so, it’s kind of fun to rotate through and really appreciate the differences of them all.”

Anything else you would like to say about orchestra, music, or just in general?

“I hope that students find music enjoyable, and that it is an important part of what they do, and that they continue to want to pursue it to whatever degree they would like. That would be awesome.”

Interviewee: Mr. Pesek
Interviewer: Jaxon

Mr. Pesek has taught at Wredling for 21 years. Mr. Pesek teaches Orchestra along with Mr. Kovach.

How did you get into music and education?

“In the school district I went to, they started orchestra, and I believe band, both in the fourth grade, and that’s when I started playing cello. I’ve always loved music. Music has always been my thing. Then, I started teaching in high school, I had a private cello student, a couple of them, actually. I grew to really enjoy teaching, and so, when I decided what I wanted to do with a career, I knew it could not be a cubicle job. Nothing against people who have a cubicle job, but that’s not me. I knew my job had to be in music and had to be in music education, so here we are.”

What do you love about teaching orchestra?

“What I really love about it is [that] every day is different, every period is different, every school year is different. You can always change something with how you are teaching, and also, your students are going to be different that you have in front of you, so I kind of love thinking, how am I going to teach this better, how I am going to teach this differently, how can I be more creative with what I am doing, so everybody’s engaged and not, like, totally bored, so that’s what I really enjoy about it”

Which groups do you work with/teach both in school and for extracurriculars?

“Sixth-grade orchestra, we team-teach seventh and eighth-grade, technically, and chamber orchestra is the extra group.”

As you are a music teacher, what is your favorite music to listen to outside of school?

“I’m open. I like to explore different genres, but what I really love are, like, singer-songwriters. People that write their own music, and can sing and play an instrument, piano, guitar, that would be my main genre.”

Quite recently, you built and presented the Wredling Symphony. Do you want to say anything about that?

“Sure, uh. Again, that was me trying to do something different and creative. I like the idea of trying it with middle schoolers. It is kind of tough doing that with middle schoolers because they haven’t had that experience before, and I thought I’d try it and see how it went, and I thought the reception was pretty good. Maybe next year, we explore that a little more, and yeah, it’s exciting.”

Anything else you would like to say about orchestra, music, or just in general?

“I think orchestra or any music group that you are part of in school, because I still have friends that I was in orchestra with when I was a kid, and you’re really going to find your friends there. You are going to find your family. It’s the place to be. So, I would encourage anybody to just stay in and keep those friendships.”

Chatting With Choir

Interviewee: Mrs. Bach
Interviewer: Jaxon

Mrs. Bach has been teaching for 26 years. She teaches all choir activities and classes by herself in the Black Box.

How did you get into music and education?

“As a student, I was in fourth grade. I joined band and choir, and always participated. Then, a couple of years later, I started doing theatre, so all through my schooling, through middle school and high school, I always participated in band and choir and theatre, and those were my hobbies and my passions that I really loved, and I wanted to find a way to turn that into a career. I always liked working with kids; I did a lot of babysitting as a kid, and all the camp counseling, and so, I really enjoyed working with kids, and enjoyed working with kids in the context of fine arts, and so, that’s how everything came to be.”

What do you love about teaching choir?

“Oh, um…everything, you know. I love that I get to make music every day. I love that I get to help people develop their talent and help [them] reach their potential. We are really lucky in music and in theatre that kids [who] take our classes, they choose to take our classes, so they want to be there, and so they are eager learners and active participants. I love working in a school district that supports the arts. I love that a majority of our families of our band, orchestra, choir, [and] theatre families are super supportive of what we do.”

Which groups do you work with/teach both in school and for extracurriculars?

“So, during the school day, there are three grade-level choirs: sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. Each one of those grade-level choirs meets over two periods, so I actually teach six periods a day. Then, four days a week before school, I have Hawk Chorus, which is the extracurricular men’s ensemble, [who] meet twice a week, and then the Treble Ensemble is the auditioned, female ensemble—treble-voiced ensemble, and they meet two more days a week as well.”

As you are a music teacher, what is your favorite music to listen to outside of school?

“Um…I have a wide variety of music that I listen to. I will listen to just about anything, but like, death metal, no. I’d say one of my favorite bands is Green Day, and one of my favorite singer/songwriters is Billy Joel, but I listen to a wide variety of music. I’d say the only thing I probably wouldn’t listen to is, like, death metal, but anything else is fair game.”

Since you are the only choir teacher, who is your teacher best friend?

“My two besties in the building are Mr. Kovach and Mr. Rocha.”

You also do the fall musical every year. Is there anything about that you want to share?

“Um…No, I really enjoy doing it. It’s a lot of work, but I like doing it. Our theatre team here is great, we all work really well together, they are all really fun to work with, [and] the kids are fun to work with. I’m just glad that we are in a school, where, even though it’s a middle school, we have the opportunity to, like, push the boundaries, and really do, like, good productions, and we have support, and we get to do two shows a year, so I’m just grateful that we get to do that, and we have kids that are interested in that.

Anything else you would like to say about choir, music, or just in general?

“Um, I would say to just, the general student, if you’ve never been involved in music or theatre, I encourage kids to try it, if it’s something that they […] maybe have an interest in. Middle school is a great time to try things and see what you like and don’t like, so I would always encourage kids to get involved if they have any sort of a spark or an interest in anything.”

D.C. al Fine

Music is important. Each music teachers at Wredling have a different background, whether it is being impacted by a television show or babysitting, music can be fostered in a wide range of people. Music is open to anyone and everyone, but it takes commitment. The opportunities and rewards that music can provide span far and wide, and every music teacher has pushed students to try it and see if they like music, because for someone to take their class is someone they can pass down what they learned to. Music is about the community, and those connections that are built, both rooted between individuals, similar groups, or the entirety of music at Wredling. Thank you to all the teachers I interviewed for this article, and for being part of one of my last articles at Wredling. Remember that in any world we live in, we can unite through music, through sound, through anything with creativity, like what music embodies.