Nagode hits 20-year mark

Brenda Nagode came to Libby in 1995, bringing with her more than 15 years of musical education experience and a desire to help kids grow through the arts. For 20 years now, she has taught choir and band to Libby’s students, hoping to instill in them a lifelong love of the arts they can share with their own children and families for the rest of their lives.

“My first graduating class was a special moment for me, six years into teaching here,” Nagode said. “There was a strong sense of pride and accomplishment watching the first kids I taught grow and learn how to play. It’s a lifelong skill they can share with their families.”

Nagode began her teaching career in Oklahoma in 1979, but moved to Troy with her husband in 1982. The couple team-taught at Troy until she was laid off in 1994 due to decreased funding caused by declining enrollment. She started teaching at Libby the next year and during her tenure has seen the same cycle repeat itself. Despite the economic decline of the area and the drop in enrollment in recent years, she said the school and the community remain committed to the music programs.

“I have seen a real dedication to music in the school over the years,” she said. “It has been consistent, regardless of the times and the circumstances. People realize how important music is.”

Schools with smaller populations, she said, face challenges that go beyond funding. With smaller studentbodies comes increased competition among coaches, faculty advisers and music directors for students to participate in programs. The problem, she said, hasn’t manifested itself in Libby.

“Sometimes issues can arise due to smaller enrollment,” she said. “But at Libby the coaches and directors cooperate and that leads to more diverse opportunities for the kids. We need to realize that students have to be the focus. When games and concerts are scheduled at the same time we need to work together and not penalize the kids. That’s something we do very well here.”

The cooperation manifests itself in the changing face of the band and choir, not just from year to year, but from event to event.

“I never have the full band together during sporting events,” Nagode said. “We have kids in various sports, we have cheerleaders. We have to share those kids, so the pep band is always short. It’s always exciting, because we’re never sure who we’re going to have at any event, but we always make it work.”

Making it work is what motivates Nagode every day.

“I tell the kids I have the best job in the world,” she said. “I get up every day and I play, and I teach the kids to play. And they pay me for that, and it’s great. You can be so inspired by what your kids do. You can teach them a song and they infuse it with their own emotions and turn it into powerful music. It’s like blowing on a coal and watching it burst into flame. It doesn’t happen every time, but when it does it is truly amazing.”

With 36 years of teaching under her belt, Nagode doesn’t yet see the end of the road. 

“I think I’ll retire when I’m done teaching,” she said. “I’m still teaching, though. I’m still inspired by it. We have such a great supportive staff and community.”

The support of the community enables the student musicians to travel to various locations and experience the arts and culture outside of Libby. The band and choir have traveled to Seattle and to various parts of Canada to perform and to see other bands, orchestras and choirs perform. They are able to do this through various fundraisers supported by the community.

“The kids have always appreciated the support they get from the community,” she said. “They buy our stuff and donate to us so the kids can go experience art and culture in other areas. The kids don’t take that for granted, they really appreciate the support they get here.”

The band and choir will perform four concerts in the area this year. The first is scheduled for Oct. 27 at the elementary school gym at 7 p.m. and will feature the entire middle and high school bands, grades six through 12.