Many Thanks, SVUSD!

Last night we attended the Instrumental Music Awards at Mission Viejo High School which marked the final music event of my son's high school career, and the final music event of my family's 15-year run with the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. On the 18th he'll walk across the football field for the last time to pick up his diploma and our involvement with the district will end. Sure, we'll still pay property taxes that will go into the district's coffers, but for the first time since September of 1994 we won't have a child attending one of their schools.

When we moved into this house in 1990 I must admit we didn't give that much thought to the school system. My daughter was only 1 1/2, my son wasn't born yet, and school seemed like it was decades away. I remember walking through the park near our street and looking up at the elementary school next door and thinking that one day our daughter would go there, but that all seemed so far away. We didn't realize how lucky we were to have moved where we did.

We are today reaping the benefits of a musical foundation that was laid at the three schools my kids attended: Del Cerro Elementary, La Paz Junior High, and Mission Viejo High School. There are a number of people who deserve some thanks for the love of music they instilled in both of our kids.

The elementary music program was still going strong when my kids were at Del Cerro, and the vocal music program was especially strong, with big choir programs put on several times a year. Mr. Fawley and Mr. Roberts were very much loved by all the kids and the shows were pretty spectacular. Both kids also began their instrumental music careers in elementary school, with my daughter playing flute and my son playing violin and trumpet (he couldn't take trumpet until 6th grade, so his instrumental start was on violin).

Sadly, elementary music programs are being cut right-and-left as the state struggles with their budget problems. They'll keep funding programs for illegal aliens, but won't bother teaching the legal kids (and children of taxpayers) how to sing or play an instrument. It's really a crime.

It was at La Paz Junior High where the love of music was really kindled in both kids, and for that we can thank director Dan Robbins. I took this picture of Dan from a 2001 video I shot of my daughter's first junior high Christmas concert.

I knew we were in for something special at La Paz when we attended a district-wide concert when my daughter was in 6th grade. Each of the district's junior high and high school bands performed, and when La Paz had their chance they blew us away. Not only were they better than the other three junior highs, they were better than each of the high schools we heard...with the exception of Mission Viejo High. We felt pretty good about the coming years.

While at La Paz both kids rapidly developed their playing skills and their love of music, and my daughter made the decision to pursue a career as a music teacher. My son played in the La Paz Jazz Band as well, and in 2005 they were among the first junior high schools to be invited to the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation event (previously posted here).

For all you've done in creating the love of music in my kids and the discipline to work hard at it , thank you Dan!

My daughter entered Mission Viejo High in 2003 and was promptly thrown into the award-winning marching band program. She's never had a great sense of direction, and I had visions of her on the field causing a 15 flute pile-up by turning the wrong way at a critical time. However, when I saw her at rehearsal the first time I was amazed, both at her skills and the skills of the band. That year they went on to win a State Championship at the WBA Finals in Fresno and they've finished 2nd or 3rd every year since. They have an outstanding marching band program.

For 22 years the MVHS band program has been led by John Hannan, who also directs the school's orchestra program, directs the pit band for the annual musical, and shares duties with the Wind Ensemble. I took this picture of John on a New York City street in 2007 as he was instructing the orchestra prior to walking over to Carnegie Hall for their performance. My daughter played in that concert. What a night that was.
In addition to New York, both kids got to make trips to Canada (my daughter twice) where the marching band won the competition at the Calgary Stampede in 2004 and 2008. Thanks, John!

John's long-time assistant is Doug Meeuwsen, who also directs the Jazz Band program. Thanks to Doug's efforts with the Jazz Band, we got to make three more trips to Monterey for the Jazz Festival (here, here and here). I took this shot of Doug as he directed the Jazz Band during last Friday's Jazz Night (which was held at Mr. Hannan's house).

Doug was also involved in the decision to switch my son to baritone in his junior year, a move which opened a lot of doors for him including having a featured solo in this year's marching show. Thanks again, Doug!
Now, pardon me while I brag a bit. Both kids did well in the MVHS music program. In 2007 my daughter was awarded the John Phillip Souza award for the top instrumental music student that year. She'll hate this picture since she's 40 pounds lighter these days, but here she was on awards night in 2007.And last night my son was given the award for Outstanding Senior in the Band Program:

Very cool. No matter what they do in the coming years, they'll always look back fondly on the times they had in the music departments at both La Paz and Mission Viejo, and will benefit from the musical foundations they received during their years in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.
Finally, a couple more gratuitous proud dad shots:


UPDATE: It's been a couple years since I wrote this piece. On April 9th we attended my daughter's Senior Recital which was a big hit, and she will be graduating in a couple of weeks with her Music Education Degree and will enter the credential program. Next year she'll be student teaching with one of the top high school music programs in Sonoma County.

My son is wrapping up two years at Saddleback College and will be headed to Sacramento State University this Fall where he'll continue to play in various music ensembles. The love of instrumental music fostered in SVUSD schools still runs strong.