Superintendent’s Artist of the Week: Atticus, Emerson and Nola Pouliot

Atticus, Emerson and Nola Pouliot, like all third graders at Sanfordville Elementary School, learned to play the recorder last year in music class. When the time came to pick instruments for fourth grade, however, the triplets each made a different choice.

Atticus selected the saxophone, an instrument his grandfather played. Emerson chose the trumpet, and Nola picked the trombone.

 “They’re triplets, so they all like to have a little bit of individuality,” their father Ken Pouliot said. “We’re big music fans and we actually have a trombone and multiple instruments in the house, so I wasn’t surprised when they said that it would be pretty cool to actually learn to play an instrument instead of just banging on one. I said, ‘Hey, we’ve got our own little brass band,’ and they were like, ‘that’s pretty cool Dad. We should go down to New Orleans and start our own brass band.’”

The triplets selected their instruments after watching videos in music class last year. Atticus and Nola picked the saxophone and trombone because they liked the sound the instruments made. Emmerson picked the trumpet because he knew some of his friends were also going to play it.

Atticus, Emerson and Nola practice often at home, sometimes in different rooms and sometimes together. Playing together helps them learn new songs.

“I just like how we all come together and play, and then it makes beautiful music,” Nola said.

The three are currently preparing for the Sanfordville Band Concert in March. Music teacher and band director Ryan Muehlbauer, who has had multiple sets of twins in band previously, said Atticus, Emerson and Nola are doing very well this year.

“For as similar as they are, there are also very distinct differences in both their playing style and their personalities,” Mr. Muehlbauer said.  “As fourth grade band director, I want to make sure that all of the students choose an instrument that fits their personality and musical taste. I think that each of the siblings chose the perfect instrument, though I imagine it is quite loud in their house!”

Mr. Pouliot’s father was also a musician, and his saxophone and clarinet are in the house now. He played his saxophone for Atticus a few times to show his grandson proper technique on the reed.

“Music is something they love,” Mr. Pouliot said. “It’s great when you see your kids hook onto something and then run with it.”