“I really enjoy the process of taking kids from not even knowing what’s their left or right side and how to hold the instrument, to about one month later being able to play songs as an orchestra and sound good,” Middle School Orchestra teacher Heather Bentley reflected.
Ms. Bentley first arrived at Lakeside in 2007, a year she described as “pivotal in forming the music program.” She recalled noticing a big push at Lakeside toward making a robust music program that allowed students to start in 5th grade and aimed to provide solid community support, resources, and instructional opportunities.
“My curiosity was: by the time that they get into high school, will these kids be able to play just about anything? And the answer was, yes,” she said. Before the start of that year, there were only two strong players in the Upper School Orchestra. That’s when the idea of having an orchestra for all of the incoming 5th graders was formed. “The way [the music department] decided to build a program was by starting in the very earliest stages,” she said. She explained that for the initial year of the obligatory orchestra program, they combined the 5th-grade orchestra with any 6th graders who wished to start a string instrument, resulting in a very large group of more than 50 students. At the time, her role was coaching and helping manage all of the kids.
In 2022, Ms. Bentley stepped into the role of lead teacher of the 5th-grade orchestra, a spot previously occupied by Orchestra Director Erica Johansen. In addition to coaching students during rehearsals, Ms. Bentley gave private lessons to students after school as part of Lakeside’s private lesson program. Ms. Bentley noted the flexibility of her work, having worked part time throughout her time at Lakeside. “What’s kept me here is that everybody is really kind, and … really supportive of my schedule, as I balance my own music that I do outside of school with teaching here,” she said. She added that she appreciates the facilities that Lakeside has, as well as the students, whom she described as “fun, smart, and funny.” She also described the dedication of the students who chose to continue playing music throughout their time at Lakeside. “It’s just lovely to be around that kind of environment,” she said.
Looking back on her tenure at Lakeside, Ms. Bentley noted that a highlight of her time here has been working alongside Ms. Johansen. “She’s really a wonderful person to teach alongside,” Ms. Bentley said. She added that she has loved seeing how different arts faculty members support each other, as well as the ongoing development of the arts department in the Lakeside community. She has also appreciated how the administration allowed the faculty to decide what to prioritize and how to develop the arts program. “There really does seem to be good autonomy for the faculty,” she said.
Ms. Bentley hopes she has helped students become “inspired to be creative with their music” in whatever way that might mean for them, whether it’s playing an instrument, singing, listening to music, or composing.
What she will miss the most is coming to school each day and seeing her colleagues on a regular basis. “There’s so many nice people,” she said. “I really love our music department, and seeing Mary [Clementi], and Ms. J [Erica Johansen], and Brianna [Slone] … has been really great.”
In the upcoming year, Ms. Bentley will be moving to Lille, France, to pursue her own music full time. “I know some other artists [there], some of whom are musicians, some of whom are poets and whatnot,” she said. She remarked that the city — which was designated as a European Capital of Culture in 2004 by the European Union — is the perfect size for her. Lille has a population of roughly 225,000, and is able to be walked across in 20 minutes. She explained that in Lille, there is passionate support for both classical music and experimental avant-garde music, the second of which is her primary focus as a musician.
“What I’m looking forward to the most is just the next chapter in my life,” Ms. Bentley said. “I’ve been here [in Seattle], for a very long time … and I’m craving growth and new inputs and collaborations.”
For whoever steps into her role after her, Ms. Bentley advised that they should “be prepared for how wonderful it is going to be to see these kids falling in love with their instruments and just making great sounds.”
