Hitting the Right Notes
How MUSD’s Music Program Celebrates Inclusivity, Collaboration, & Creativity An Interview with VAPA Coordinator Anthony Dahl We all have “that song” – the one that makes us turn the volume up and sing along as we breathe in the lyrics and feel the beat. Across all different genres, music connects us with our emotions and each other, reminding us that we’re not alone. While the power of music is felt every day, March is recognized as “Music in Our Schools Month”. In honor of this year’s theme, “Music is All of Us”, we invited Manteca Unified’s Visual & Performing Arts (VAPA) Coordinator Anthony Dahl to tell us more about the evolution of MUSD’s music program. Anthony Dahl Mr. Dahl has an extensive history with Manteca Unified, which began when he accepted a position as a 4-8th grade music teacher at August Knodt in 2005. After his first year with MUSD, an unexpected opportunity to serve as the band director at Manteca High changed Mr. Dahl’s career plans, where he remained for 13 years. To this day, he cherishes and maintains important mentor relationships he established during his time there. While he loved his time at Manteca High School, Mr. Dahl dreamed of advocating for music education at the district level. He became MUSD’s Music Coordinator before stepping into the role of Visual & Performing Arts Coordinator in 2021. Recently, Mr. Dahl was invited by the California All-State Music Education Conference to mentor other school districts on how to implement inclusive music classes. Following his presentation on building a school mariachi program, Mr. Dahl sat down with us to share how MUSD’s Music Program prioritizes inclusivity, collaboration, and creativity – and what this means for students.