Proud teachers

[jeremy c]

Last night and the night before I went to performances of all the band classes at Albany (California) High School.

 

This high school has an incredible music department, mostly because of one person, Tom Lilienthal. There are approximately 1200 students at this high school. Before Tom got there, the music program was dying. He is retiring at the end of the school year and will be very hard to replace.

 

Music is now more popular than sports at this school. There are now two jazz ensembles (both of which have been getting good ratings at state festivals), a half a dozen combos, a concert band, a string orchestra, several choirs, a rock guitar class, a recording studio, and last but not least a 21 piece Motown/funk show band. If your corporation wanted to hire a band like this, it would probably cost them $10,000 for an evening.

 

I had four bass students playing in the concerts with various groups and I would like to report that they all played great! The future of bass is in these kid's hands!

 

The Motown band was amazing. Tim Hyland directs this band and writes the arrangements. They have two keyboardists, one guitar, one bass, three drummers (one plays at a time while the other two play percussion), four saxes (2 tenors, alto, and baritone), two trumpets, one trombone, three violins and four singers (three girls and one boy). They all wear hip matching outfits and do dance steps. And they play pretty much all late 60's and early 70's funk/r&b/disco/Motown whatever you want to call it.

 

The high school kids in the audience all go nuts and dance like fools (that's a compliment). So do some of the parents.

 

In all of the bands that played, there were only one or two seniors so next year they will all be even better!

 

Let's hear it for my students, Nina, Krystalline, Bori, and Sean!

[TimR]

Well done Nina, Krystalline, Bori, Sean, TOM AND JEREMY!

[JBFLA]

That is great news and an equally fine story. Congratulations to all!!

 

I wish my daughter had been able to stay active in music, but her school has no music program or classes whatsoever. She was 1st chair trombone in Elementary band, but changed schools in middle school and took up sports. That's fine and good (and she's doing well enough to [maybe] earn a sports scholarship - but I miss the times we would practice her lessons together... The neighbors??? not so much, I think.

 

Having said that, she does attend a very, very small school. Her graduating class next year will be under 20 students total; the entire high school is less than 100.

 

I think it's difficult for small schools to develop and maintain a music program with that small of a population. Not that it can't be done, it just hasn't...

 

And, I should add that her interest in music hasn't waned... she told me if I ever sell my '78 Ray, she will disown me.

 

Can she do that??

 

Jim

[Rocky McDougall]

Jeremy, I know many of the larger schools have a Jazz band program. What styles of Jazz do they usually teach? Are small groups encouraged, like trios. I suspect that most are horn oriented.

Rocky

[getz out]

Nice. Congrats, J. If my high school had had a program as such, I might have been much more interested.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Thanks for sharing that, J. Many congrats.

 

Peace.

--SW

 

[saxofunk]

There's definitely something to be said for committed teachers, large school districts, and supportive communities. Glad you can be a part of that, Jeremy. Congratulations to your students!

 

 

[jeremy c]

I just posted this in the BX3 thread:

 

I talked to drummer John Mader the other night. He and I go way back. He said he had a blast doing the BX3 tour with Billy, Jeff, and Stu.

 

In related events, he teaches drums to one of the kids who played in the band concerts at Albany High School. He played in a band that opened the student show on Friday--an all-star band who played for nothing to help out the students..There is an organization called the Albany Music Fund which is run by the parents that raises huge amounts of money for the school music program.

 

John sounded amazing on Friday.

 

His student, Kevin, played in multiple groups and did a good job both nights.

[tnb]

And, I should add that her interest in music hasn't waned... she told me if I ever sell my '78 Ray, she will disown me.

 

Can she do that??

 

Jim

 

Yes, she should. BUT if you do plan to sell it, call me first.

[jeremy c]

Albany Unified School District is not a large school district. There is one high school, one middle school, three elementary schools, an alternative high school, and an adult school. The city of Albany is 1.7 square miles in size and has approximately 15,000 people. It borders on Berkeley on two sides and El Cerrito and Richmond on the other two.

 

The citizens of Albany provide tremendous support to their schools. Three quarters of the population of the city are families with children.

[saxofunk]

Albany Unified School District is not a large school district. There is one high school, one middle school, three elementary schools, an alternative high school, and an adult school. The city of Albany is 1.7 square miles in size and has approximately 15,000 people. It borders on Berkeley on two sides and El Cerrito and Richmond on the other two.

 

The citizens of Albany provide tremendous support to their schools. Three quarters of the population of the city are families with children.

 

That's why I included "committed teachers... supportive communities." My apologies for leaving in the "large school districts" business, there are some very strong programs in small districts with modest tax revenue. Albany sounds much like the community I grew up in, size wise. What's class size? 250-300?

[Phil W]

Thanks for the report, Jeremy.

[Tom Capasso]

I was always grateful for the music program at our schools. My kids got a lot out of them.

 

You sound like a proud father of those bassists! Nicely done!

 

Tom

[Trill]

I can remember how sad the music programs at our school were growing up. Very basic,dull.

 

I love the fact that music programs are really getting kids interested in learning and playing. And teaching them complex things that are fun to play.