Heavy Heart

I just found out that the band director at my high school passed away suddenly yesterday. As soon as I read the news I felt my heart sink right into my stomach. I spent many hours of my high school days with Mr. M. He was an incredibly influential teacher in my life and I know he was that for hundreds if not thousands of other students as well.

There's something special about a band director in a small town school. Most of the teachers that you have you may only have for 1 or 2 years tops, but your band director is with you throughout your entire high school career (if you're lucky.) Not only did I see him regularly in band practice, but I also had group and sometimes private lessons with him. He pushed me to try out for All-State, he led the marching band and I took music theory with him. He had an amazing sense of humor and wasn't afraid to confront me when rumors of my bad deeds spread throughout the school one day. I had no qualms listening to his confrontation because I knew that his concern was genuine and that he cared about me as an individual.

He instilled in me a love for the band "Chicago". I think we probably played at least one Chicago tune at every concert. He had posters of the band throughout his office and talked about them all the time. I remember him getting so incredibly frustrated with the trumpet players on more then one occasion - if you don't have good trumpet players you don't have good Chicago music. I also remember the time that he got reamed out for having us play Only the Good Die Young in marching band. "What kind of message are you sending those kids?" So it was back to the ever popular and incredibly easy Louie, Louie.

You will be missed Mr. M! I count myself fortunate to have had you in my life. You were a good, no - GREAT man and you were far too young to leave this earth!