IUSD in the News: Venado Middle School teacher helps students connect with music

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A Venado Middle School teacher is the subject of a nice feature story on the Orange County Register’s website. Reporter Lauren Jow penned the profile on Brendan McBrien, who has taught music for more than 25 years and composed hundreds of original songs. Here’s a brief excerpt:

Sometimes Brendan McBrien, 52, wakes in the middle of the night, struck by the ghost of a melody floating fleetingly through his head.

The muse strikes him often and unexpectedly, a musical bent born at an early age when he first heard the string quartet in "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles.

"I remember being just a little boy just frozen by the sound I was hearing," he said.

Since growing up playing the French horn, McBrien has trained in every orchestral instrument and has enjoyed a long career of composing music – not for grand orchestras worldwide but for his students.

You can find the full story, along with photos and a video, by clicking here.