“If you remember, last week we took a trip to China,” Lower School Music Teacher Aneudy (pronounced “an-NAY-oo-thee”) Melendez tells a room full of energetic second graders. “Today we’re going to a different country: our next-door-neighbor, Mexico.” Melendez, now in his third year at Charlotte Latin School, is soft-spoken but commands the students’ attention: soon, he has united the class with a common purpose, clapping together to different beats. After he teaches them the fundamentals used by blade-wielding Mexican dancers known as Los Machetes — “we obviously don’t have machetes, so we’re going to use sticks” — he leads the students in a march around the music room, past the xylophones and into uncharted territory. In their minds, the students are traveling across the globe, powered only by a new rhythm.

What are the goals of the Lower School music program?

Our basic premise is that while some of our students might be more musically inclined than others, every kid has the ability to be musical. They’re exposed to all kinds of instruments, but fourth grade is when they start the recorder and start learning about it. That year, they really learn what it means to play in an ensemble, because they’re practicing this instrument that requires a lot of dexterity and hand-eye coordination. 

Then in fifth grade, they leave us to join band, orchestra, or choir. So we want to make sure that by then they have a great sense of steady beats, that they’re comfortable in their singing voices, and that most importantly, they’re confident in themselves and in their musical abilities. That has other manifestations, like being able to work with one another. A lot of music is working with other people and relying on them.

What have you learned about yourself since you came to Charlotte Latin?

I’ve learned to be a little more humble. As a teacher, everyone wants to work at a school like Latin — and being here, I’ve quickly learned that everybody here deserves to be here. I’m one of the youngest faculty members and whether I want to admit it or not, I can learn something from everybody here.

What have you learned about your students’ musical tastes?

That my taste in music is not always the same as theirs. When I pick a song, it has to be catchy and it has to be something they enjoy singing about. For example, we had the first grade sing a song about piñatas — they were happy to rehearse that one for weeks and weeks.  

When you go home, what type of music do you listen to?

I listen to a lot of jazz. My instrument is trumpet, and I really enjoy listening to Woody Shaw. I also listen to a lot of indie rock and indie pop music. One act that’s a favorite of mine is Dayglow, which is actually one guy multitracking himself. But when I listen to the music of today on the radio, a lot of it sounds really similar: I yearn for music that sounds distinct. That doesn’t mean I like all of it, but I enjoy exposing myself to all types of musical genres.

Do you think the way you listen to music is different from the way most people listen to it?

For sure. The vocals catch the attention of a lot of people, but I tend to blur them out: I listen to the bass and to the drumbeat. And if I listen to something really catchy, I’ll go home and try to work out the chord progression on my keyboard. Part of what I enjoy about listening to music is the puzzle of figuring out what makes it sound the way it does.

Do you feel like you could stay in Charlotte for a while?

Absolutely. When I first came to town, I was a train wreck emotionally: I was so far away from my family in Philadelphia, and that was tough. But my fiance, Chloe, helped me a lot with that transition. Chloe was a floating substitute in the Lower School last year, but now she’s the administrative assistant to Michele King, the Director of Student Support & Wellness.

How often do you pick up the trumpet these days?

Not as often as I would like to. It’s tricky to find time to practice without impinging on other people’s space. I play in church services sometimes. I played in the pit for the Upper School musical, which was really fun, so I expect to do that every single year.

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened in one of your classes since you got here?

Last year, I had a Kindergarten class that was doing a song, playing different instruments at different times in the song. This one sweet little girl, she was telling the other kids what to do: “No, don’t play right there. You’re not supposed to play then.” I told her, “Hey, it’s okay — you don’t need to tell them if they’re messing up, because you might mess up too.”

She looks me in the eye and says, “I’m not going to mess up.”

What’s been your favorite day since you came to Charlotte Latin?

One of my favorites is FLY DAY [Latin’s annual day of giving]: I love how they pass on notes for faculty and staff. On any job, you have your really good days and your not-so-great days, but on those not-so-great days, the notes remind me why I love doing what I do. Whenever I read those notes and see the kind words, that inspires me and makes me feel valued. It melts my heart: I see some of these kids once or twice a week, and I don’t always realize the value of the time we have together until they tell me about it later. 

What has surprised you about Latin?

How polite and kind everybody is. A place like this is a dream, and quite frankly, it’s hard to find. If you ask a hundred people who work at Latin what the best thing about the school is, I think most of them will say that they feel so supported here. It’s true, and it speaks to how serious everybody here is about lifting each other up. Everybody here cares so much.