Edi Rovi grew up in Albania and migrated to the U.S. in 2003 to live in Salem. Throughout middle and high school in the Salem Public School District, Rovi “developed a passion for music.”

“I always had a passion for music, as my dad was a music teacher,” Rovi said. “But my band director was a huge inspiration to me.

Now, Rovi is a band director himself, teaching marching, jazz and concert band throughout the district. He also has a wide range of musical talents, including bassoon, piano, saxophone, guitar and percussion.

“The culture we had over at Salem — how inclusive it was, how together, how tight, I kind of wanted to do that same thing,” Rovi said. “The town of Swampscott itself is amazing to work at. The community is very supportive of the band, which is unbelievable. I feel like everywhere we go at this point, people are saying that the band is doing great. All the attributes go to the kids. They do a fantastic job.”

Rovi went on to attend Salem State University, graduating in 2014. While in school, he served as the rehearsal pianist for the music department, which he said “was a lot of fun.”

One year after college, Rovi heard about an opening in the Swampscott Public School District and said, “I was like, ‘Of course, that’s exactly what I want to do.’”

Rovi now teaches a jazz band, an audition-based group that meets once a week after school in the evening so students can also participate in sports. Only high school students are eligible to join.

“Being in a small school, I’ve learned that you have to share kids, and the kids are doing so many different activities, whether it’s sports, clubs – they are everywhere,” Rovi said. 

Rovi also directs the concert band, which includes marching band in the fall. Eighth graders participate in night rehearsals to learn formations and music alongside high school students.

High school concert band students meet during a designated class period, while the middle school concert band meets during advisory in the morning. Rovi works with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade band students, while Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for fifth-grade band.

“Especially with the fifth grade band, they’re so young and they’re not as mature playing-wise, so you have to put on a different set of ears when you’re listening to them than when you listen to the high school,” Rovi said. “But it’s the thing I love about it. I have those kids for eight years, just to see that progression.”

On May 28, the middle school and high school bands will present a joint showcase, Rovi said. Fifth graders will perform first, followed by the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade bands. After the high school performs, the middle school students will return to the stage for one large combined number.

In the fall, the marching band — part of the concert band — performs at each high school football game. Students span a range of grades, musical abilities and interests. Rovi works with high school students during a designated class period, while the middle school “feeder program” meets once a week without a scheduled class time.

This past football season, 52 students took the field during halftime, a significant increase from the dozen or so Rovi had when he began 11 years ago. This year, the band performed a medley of rock songs for its halftime show. In previous years, the group performed music from Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantasia.

“Every year is different,” Rovi said. “We try not to repeat shows.”

The band also accents football games by playing short pieces throughout the four quarters.

Rovi said students “buying into” the program allows them to improve and “see the potential.”

“We still have some kids who do band for the fun of it, and I’m totally fine with that,” Rovi said. “It’s supposed to be inclusive for everybody of all ranges. There’s no auditions to be in the marching band. It’s just open to all groups. You just have to play an instrument.”

With 21 graduating seniors this year, Rovi said four plan to pursue music performance or education.

“I try not to push that on the kids because you really need to want it, versus being pushed because it’s a career choice,” Rovi said. “My job is for them to love music. That’s what I’m here for.”

Rovi said music “has a lot of benefits for humans.” The Northwest School of Music lists participation in a school band as a way for students to add balance to their lives, where academics are often emphasized more heavily. Band also provides a space for students to “come out of their shells,” while developing teamwork, time management and creativity. A 2003 study published in the National Library of Medicine found differences in gray matter — the part of the brain involved in sensory perception — between musicians and non-musicians.

“Usually we have the best of the best kids in our band program,” Rovi said. 

Part of the music experience in the Swampscott Public School District also includes a trip to Universal Studios in March, where about 50 high school band and chorus students attend workshops and perform at the park.

“We do it because the kids are great,” Rovi said. “We want to give those lasting memories.”