Montessori Music Residencies Bring Traditional Music to Life for Students
This year, our Montessori Music Residencies continued to provide students with meaningful opportunities to explore rhythm, movement, creativity, and collaboration through traditional American music. Led by professional teaching artists, these long-term classroom residencies help children connect sound with learning while building confidence, teamwork, and self-expression.
The program serves students in two age groups:
Grades 1–3 (30 students): 19-week residency with 50-minute classes
Grades 4–6 (18 students): 8-week residency with 50-minute classes
During the 2025–26 school year, the program served 48 students each semester, bringing hands-on musical experiences directly into the classroom.
Artist Spotlight: Forrest Britt
This spring, we were excited to welcome Forrest Britt to our teaching artist roster. Forrest taught at the Montessori School, sharing his passion for Americana, bluegrass, and Appalachian musical traditions with students through singing, movement, and creative exploration.
Reflecting on his experience, Forrest said:
“Working at the Cleveland Montessori school was a blast. The students were so fun it was a joy to bring music experiences to them. The kids seemed to respond so well to the old time, bluegrass music, dance and acoustic instruments. We typically would learn to sing a new bluegrass or old time song then add traditional dancing to the experience. We also worked on our own dances and songs in the style of Appalachian tradition with consideration for their own preferences and interests.”
Through these activities, students not only learned traditional songs and dances but also had the opportunity to create original work inspired by Appalachian musical traditions.
One of Forrest’s favorite moments came from watching students engage with music in a collaborative, hands-on way:
“Personal highlight was seeing young kids engaged in something acoustic and alive, that isn’t YouTube or an iPad but moving, singing, creating together. Learning traditions in music and American/Appalachian history that are over 100 years old.”
About Forrest:
Forrest Britt is originally from Wilmington, North Carolina. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Music Therapy, where he focused on bluegrass music, performance, and traditional bluegrass instruments.
Since moving to Cleveland two years ago, Forrest has shared those experiences through performing, teaching, and community music programs like his work with ROOTS. His teaching philosophy centers on creating engaging, creative musical experiences rooted in folk and bluegrass traditions while remaining open to the interests and creativity of the students he works with.
Outside the classroom, Forrest performs fiddle and mandolin with several bluegrass and folk projects around Cleveland. He is currently excited about new music from one of those groups, Raccoon County by Lea Marra and The River Boys, which is available on streaming services and promoted through social media.
As another successful year of Montessori Music Residencies comes to a close, we are grateful for teaching artists like Forrest who help students experience the joy of making music together while connecting with rich cultural traditions.
You can stream Raccoon City here:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/raccoon-county/1892649842
https://open.spotify.com/album/19GPPYRaVZHWuJorhuL3u4?si=bIklv5-MQMK4xm0WnKgd9Q
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kesqPu3dJYWQ4rFKRTj6RaWUY_ZE3ck7g&si=8KTBCB5c3_dx6oqi
To inquire about residency programs for your schools, afterschool, or camp programs, email: programs@rootsofamericanmusic.org