Daniel de los Reyes from the Zac Brown Band

Students in Mrs. Nichols-Uhler’s class at the Chatham campus of The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) spent the morning of May 11th tapping their toes and making music using a variety of percussion instruments under the guidance of Daniel de los Reyes, percussionist with the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum album-producing Zac Brown Band.

“Danny” as he introduced himself to the children, has spent most of his life playing percussion instruments of all shapes and sizes with artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Don Henley, Chicago, Sting, Ricky Martin, and Sheryl Crow, to name just a few. He invited the MCA students to explore the sounds of the drum, woodblocks, tambourine, congas, and cowbells, challenging the children to play them at different volumes and in different groupings to produce a variety of effects. In return, the students showed Danny how they play the Silence Game to promote a sense of inner calmness and a silent awareness in the classroom during this activity.

One of the highlights of the morning was when Danny autographed thirty sets of drumsticks as keepsakes for the children. When Danny learned of MCA’s outreach program with St. Peter’s Orphanage, he signed more drumsticks to be sent to each of the boys at St. Peter’s, along with an autographed photo of the band. We also learned about Danny’s own passion for making a positive difference in the world. Currently, he is in the process of building a school in Georgia designed to bring together students of all backgrounds and skill levels to learn how to play percussion in a way that promotes teamwork and teaches the participants about the culture and history of the instruments. In addition, Danny is also the founder of DayGlow Music. According to its website, “the mission of DayGLOW Music is to incorporate percussion instruments, rhythms from around the world, dance, and vocals into a natural backdrop inspiring youth to work together with respect and appreciation for one another.” For more information on DayGlow Music, visit www.DayGLOW.org

Danny has said, “The greatest gift I could ever hope to share with another person would be to always encourage you to strive toward your dreams and enjoy [every minute of] it. When people share their own personal stories with me and say I have inspired them in some small way … wow … now THAT makes me smile!” The students and teachers at The Montessori Children’s Academy certainly agree that Danny inspired them with his humble and caring heart, his calm interactions with the children, and his incredible musical talent.

For further information about the school and our programs, please visit our website www.TheMontessoriChildrensAcademy.com. With campuses in Chatham, Morristown, and Short Hills, The Montessori Children’s Academy is Educating Today’s Child for Tomorrow’s World.