When the Aim High Flyers take the stage at the Ann Arbor District Library on Thursday, July 30, from 6–7 p.m., audiences can expect more than a rock concert. They’ll experience a performance that celebrates creativity, inclusion and the transformative power of music.
The free concert, held at the library’s downtown branch, features students from Aim High School, a Farmington Hills school serving middle and high school students with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, anxiety, and other social and learning differences. Over the past decade, the Aim High Flyers have become one of the school’s signature programs, performing throughout Michigan while showcasing the talents of neurodiverse young musicians.
Leading the group is Matthew Landrum, director of creative arts at Aim High School.
“I’m one of the founding teachers of the school,” Landrum said. “We’re in year fifteen of the school and year ten of the band.”
From after-school club to acclaimed band
The band’s beginnings were remarkably simple.
“The High Flyers came about when three students approached me with the idea of an after-school music club,” Landrum said. “We met twice a week and worked a few songs up for open mic. The club eventually became a class and then solidified into a strong group. They began playing at restaurants and events.”
Today, the Aim High Flyers perform a blend of rock music shaped by each new generation of student musicians.
“The style is a somewhat poppy style of rock,” he said. “There’s a through-line on the sound but it also always reflects the style and tastes of the current student musicians.”
Rehearsals are woven into the school day, giving students the opportunity not only to learn cover songs but also to write original music.
“The band is my last class of the day,” Landrum said. “We practice for the whole period, rehearsing, learning new songs, and writing original material. Students bring most of the song suggestions, but I assign a few—most recently The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Building confidence through music
For Landrum, the greatest success isn’t measured by applause, but by personal growth. “Finding something creative and original within oneself and bringing it to the world is the best of education,” he said. “For a decade, the band has provided a chance for students to do just that.”
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He has watched students blossom in ways they never imagined. “I’ve seen students come into the band shy, then belt out Queen on stage at the Motor City Casino to five hundred people,” Landrum said. “I’ve seen students write beautiful songs that express their fears, hopes, and unique experiences of the world.”
He believes the band’s collaborative nature makes those accomplishments even more meaningful.
“These accomplishments aren’t solo. A band can only succeed together. The combination of teamwork and individual accomplishment brings both a sense of accomplishment and belonging,” Landrum said.
Original songs, original voices
This year’s Ann Arbor audience will also hear original songs written by the students themselves.
“I’m continually amazed at the depth and quality of student songwriting,” Landrum said. “Their creativity is on display in songs that’ll be featured during our show at the Ann Arbor Library. These range from a funny and catchy song about the rat race of the working life to deep songs about finding one’s people and accepting oneself.”
Landrum recalls many students whose lives have been changed through music, including one alumnus whose experience came full circle.
“I think of one student, Max, who entered the band as an eighth grader who played a bit of piano,” he said. “Within a few years, Max had transformed into a multi-instrumentalist and one of the best guitarists I’ve ever worked with. Music gave them a place to put and process their emotions and find the best in themselves.”
Max later studied music therapy, led the alumni band, taught at Aim High School’s summer program, and now works as a music therapist in Minnesota.
Winning over audiences
The Aim High Flyers have built a loyal following through performances at restaurants, community events and public venues across Michigan, including previous appearances in the Ann Arbor area.
“The Ann Arbor community has been wonderful throughout the band’s history,” Landrum said. “It’s been fun to watch the reaction of people who randomly encounter the band.”
He remembers one of the band’s earliest performances at a Novi restaurant.
“The regulars there had some doubts about a group of high school kids playing on a Friday night,” he said. “By the end of the first set, they were hooked and stayed for the whole performance. As we left, they were asking when The High Flyers could play again.”
The students have also shared the stage with notable guest musicians, including actor and musician Jeff Daniels.
“I got a text the night before that Jeff had written a song about the school,” Landrum recalled. “The recording came through in the morning, and the students spent the morning writing vocal and instrumental parts to back him up.”
The rehearsal culminated in a memorable moment.
“I remember halfway through our first take, Jeff looked over his shoulder and nodded, ‘these kids are alright.'”
Music with a mission
Among the band’s proudest performances was one that extended beyond entertainment.
“The band played at a bill signing in Lansing for landmark legislation that expanded insurance coverage for people with autism,” Landrum said. “It was amazing to be part of an important step in healthcare representation for neurodiverse people in Michigan.”
Running a student rock band naturally comes with surprises, but Landrum sees those moments as valuable life lessons.
“It’s inevitable—something unexpected happens,” he said. “There’s a flat tire, a piece of equipment gets misplaced, a rowdy patron gets on stage and wants to sing along on the mic.”
The band’s philosophy? “We have a philosophy in the band—’ that’s rock and roll.’ It’s a great mantra for life’s ups and downs. ‘That’s rock and roll’ teaches students to roll with the punches and find opportunities in difficulties.”
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, the current group is preparing for a busy year.
“We are heading into the fall with a band mostly made up of seniors,” Landrum said. “These seasoned musicians are working on an album and are ready to play a strong slate of shows.”
Ultimately, he hopes audiences leave with a deeper appreciation not only for the music, but for the students behind it.
“The legacy of the program is the students—students who go out into the world better musicians and as more confident and resilient people,” Landrum said. “Rocking out in a band is ultimately about more than the music; it’s about the journey and finding courage and creativity and sharing it with the world. That confidence is something they can carry with them, in music and in life.”
