NORWICH – Challenged with a decrease in student participation and fewer resources, music teachers in the Norwich City School District presented enrollment data for the district's music department to members of the NCSD School Board on Tuesday.

The department's presentation focused largely on data collected for the 2013-2014 school year in all four schools in the Norwich City School District. While student enrollment in all music programs has seen an overall increases across the board in the last five years, said Norwich music teachers, enrollment this year showed a slight drop from the 2012-2013 school year.

At present, the district staffs six teachers for its music department which consists of choir, band and orchestra at Perry Browne Intermediate School and the middle and high schools; and general music education classes at the middle school, Perry Browne, and Gibson Primary.

“We are also very involved with a lot of different activities outside the school day,” explained Alyssa Jutting, instrumental music teacher at Perry Browne. Extra curriculars within the department include the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), two annual musicals, marching band, music club, elite choir, and three trips throughout the school year. She said to board members, “We really believe the music department is reaching far and wide for our students.”

More than 1,500 Norwich students participate in a music program, Jutting pointed out. Moreover, ensemble programs at Perry Browne and the middle and high schools have grown at rapid pace in recent years. Despite the decrease of approximately 10 students enrolled in band, orchestra and choir in the high school, and another 10 students in those programs at Perry Browne, more than 700 students across the district still participate in an ensemble (295 at Perry Browne, 325 at the middle school and 119 at the high school).