Amidst the bustle of tourists exploring the narrow, colonial-lined streets of America’s Hometown, and locals following their noses to various food establishments in the historic district of Plymouth, you will notice that Middle Street is peppered with people -young and old, carrying various instrument cases and bags filled with music books. They are heading to one of several doors of the Middle Street School of Music where music pours out into the streets as the doors open and students come and go in their weekly pursuits in music education.
Founded by Berklee School of Music graduates, Patricia Drain and Paul Kinnear, Middle Street School of Music opened its doors in 1992 when downtown Plymouth looked very different from today. “When we started here it was like a ghost town,” Kinnear notes, “Everything had moved over to the mall and shops here were boarded up.” Drain and Kinnear did not let the less-than-bustling scene deter them in their goal to provide students with the opportunity to have music education -especially as several local music schools had closed down and there were eager students without teachers who still wanted to learn. “The school I was teaching at closed down and so we were able to give some of the displaced students a place to continue their training,” Kinnear explains.
Starting with four teachers, a handful of students, and a small space in an old building on historic Middle Street, Drain and Kinnear established a stress-free, positive experience for their students that carries on to this day. Instead of a strict focus on music theory and notation and mandatorily prescribed teaching methods, Middle Street School of music allows each instructor to tailor the lesson to each, individual student based on their interests and abilities -making musical training a highly personal experience. “We want students to come here and enjoy being here, not worry or be stressed about their lesson,” says Drain, “Music should be fun -that’s the whole point, to enjoy making it.”
That said, don’t let the open-minded approach fool you into thinking there is not a great deal of hard work that takes place at Middle Street. The school currently employs twenty music teachers and all of them not only meet strict qualifications and high standards, but they have each spent decades perfecting their skill in their chosen fields and many of them actively participate in performing local bands and music groups. “We have had students that left the school and ended up forming some of the well-known, local bands that tour the New England area,” Kinnear says.
A music-and-mind-positive philosophy at Middle Street School of Music has earned loyalty from local families and students -sometimes even after relocating. “I have one student in their 30’s who moved to North Carolina, but we still meet for music lessons on Zoom,” says Drain. One of the most surprising facts about Middle Street School of Music is that a little more than half of their 350+ students are adults. “It really is never too late to start an instrument or learn a bit more about music,” says Kinnear, “Even if it’s just for fun -you don’t have to be amazing or take it seriously, it’s just good for you to do.”
In addition to students of all ages engaging in and learning about music and instruments, Drain and Kinnear are also out in the community performing. They founded Trillium, a jazz trio in the 80’s. Trillium toured all over New England and often performed at Musikfest in Pennsylvania where they shared the line-up with the Fifth Dimension, Diane Schuur, and Queen Ida.
Now as the duo, Swing Set, Drain and Kinnear continue to perform at various venues in and around the Boston/Cape Cod area and for both private events and public performances. Drain also continues to work as a sideman with Java Swing an 8-piece swing orchestra and is an expert in the musical fields of voice, piano, guitar, and ukulele. With his expertise in guitar (a four-year degree in guitar performance), ukulele, mandolin, banjo, and bass, Kinnear has been a member of many well-known local bands as “Fit 2B tied”, “Joy”, “Soul Sensation”, “Bruce Peterson Big Band”, “Shameless”, and “Shatterproof”. Kinnear is multifaceted in his range of musical experience from Broadway to Country, and from Rock and Roll to Jazz.
With such experienced and multi-talented founders, it is not surprising to see a wide range of instrumental instruction and instructors available at Middle Street School of Music. Lessons offered include piano, drums, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, vocals, woodwinds, bass, banjo, horns, reeds, music theory I and II, songwriting, music production, and ear training. Instructors offer private lessons that are built around each students needs, interests, goals, and abilities. In addition, opportunities to play in rock, country, folk, and jazz ensembles as well as group lessons for guitar and ukulele are offered.
The culmination of each year ends with a spring recital in which all students are encouraged, but never forced, to participate. Music teachers help their students select a piece or pieces of music to perform well in advance so that each student is comfortable and adequately-rehearsed for the performance. “Our teachers also use the music that students choose for their recital piece to teach about notation and theory as a learning tool so that they can focus on getting their piece ready and still be learning and expanding on their knowledge,” Kinnear explains.
With music education programs being defunded and dismantled in schools, it is more important than ever to ensure children have the opportunity for music experience and exposure. Drain and Kinnear assure that perfection and proficiency are not the main focus at Middle Street School of Music, but cultivating a positive association with musical training is. Kinnear warns about putting too much pressure on music students, “Sometimes we hear about music teachers out there taking things so seriously -stressing kids out and being unkind if the progress isn’t enough in their eyes.” “That is just not what is it about,” Drain adds, “Music should be a positive thing for all ages and not something that makes you fearful. I don’t understand why anyone would teach to make it anything but a joy.”
Middle Street School of Music may offer only music-based classes, but be assured that the skills and experiences there filter out into the daily lives of the students. “Learning music affects your entire life,” Drain points out, “Things like discipline, courage, focus, dedication, and accomplishment come along with learning an instrument or learning to read music, and those are things that help you in life overall.” “It is really great to see students come here and find real joy when they discover they can play an instrument or make music. Not everyone is going to be some prodigy -I hate to use that word, and sometimes we do get a student that you can tell is meant for the world of music,” Kinnear explains, “but we mostly just like to see our students discover their own capabilities and get confidence and have a way to express themselves.”
While comfortably filled with hundreds of students, Middle Street School of Music is always open to adding more and offering various opportunities to learn and explore music. Connected to the music school, Drain and Kinnear offer various instruments for sale at their Bumblebee Music Shop. The shop offers a range of instruments from Blueridge Guitars, Bristol Guitars, Gold Star Banjos, Rover Banjos and Mandolins, Kentucky Mandolins, Regal Resophonic Guitars, Kala Ukuleles and Guitars, and Cremona Violins and Cellos.
After over three decades of steady growth and stable patronage, it is clear that Drain and Kinnear built Middle Street on the right foundation for success -one that focuses on music positivity and confidence building rather than accolade and prestige. “I am sold on this product,” Drain says with pride, “We have found longevity in keeping musical training about making it enjoyable and accessible and that is something Paul and I are very proud of.”
As a mother of four students at Middle Street School of Music, I can easily agree that what Drain and Kinnear have established through their philosophy and dedication to focusing on a positive student experience, is a love and respect for music that carries on after the lesson is over. After all, finding your adult son playing the keyboard in the attic late at night -lost in the song and confident in his ability to not just play the music, but feel it, is a testament to teaching done in harmony with the human spirit.