Amanda Eddy: A Storey County Musician
For over a decade, Amanda Eddy has overseen music education at Virginia City High School. UNR journalism student Gwenyth Fahrney caught up with Eddy to talk about teaching in the region’s smallest school district.
The room is small and filled with cacophony of young musicians warming up on their instruments.
In one corner is a sixth-grade clarinetist, in the other, an eighth-grade flautist. This is the orchestra Wisconsin-born Amanda Eddy, 43, Director of Bands and Choirs in Storey County has conducted for the last 11 years.
Eddy presides over the band and choir programs in these Virginia City schools, teaching music to children and teens — sixth to 12th grade — watching their musical skills mature as they become adults.
The job has been unexpected in many ways, one of which being the age range she has been able to teach.
“When I left college I expected to teach one level, one type of ensemble, or maybe a couple different things, and now that I’m here I’ve had the opportunity to expand that to everything that I have had any experience with,” says Eddy.
Growing up, she learned how to sing and play multiple instruments, but since moving Virginia City in 2013 — Eddy has been able to spread that knowledge to the next generation.
Eddy says she’s had to change the way she explains certain concepts and approaches classes depending on which age level and class she’s working with.
“Something you would present to a sixth grade musician in band could be very different from a twelfth grade musician in choir, or sixth grade general music to a high school band player who’s been playing for seven years,” she said.
Reporting and video by Gwenyth Fahrney
