December 18, 2003

Winter band concert brightens holiday spirit

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Drums rattled, trumpets blared and flutes rang out during Simonds Elementary School’s winter band concert Dec. 11. Friends and siblings waved, and parents snapped photos, as the band’s fourth and fifth grade students filed in, dressed in their hunter green band shirts embellished with their school’s emblem, and navy blue slacks. They quickly took their places behind music stands, and fine-tuned their instruments.

What makes this band exceptional is that it is run entirely by volunteer teachers, parents and students. “I’m not getting a penny, and neither is anyone else, but we keep coming back because it’s worthwhile,” notes music teacher Terry Bermudez.

First grade teacher Phyllis Politoski is impressed with what this dedicated group of volunteers has accomplished. “I find it quite phenomenal to see what a community band can pull together with parent volunteers,” she comments. Politoski also appreciates the opportunity the band provides for the students, including her fourth grade daughter. “She’s getting so much from it—confidence in herself, and the ability to learn music, which most kids don’t get today,” she says.

Parent volunteer Joy Spodick, and other parents at Simonds, considered having a music program at school so essential that four years ago they formed Simonds Music and Technology Foundation. Through the nonprofit foundation, they apply for grants and hold fund-raisers to cover the costs of a music teacher, keyboard lessons, and music theory classes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. “The band is an outgrowth of this and totally volunteer-run,” Spodick notes. “Parents instruct students in playing the instruments, as well as middle and high school students who volunteer their time as a community service project.”

Spodick, who played flute and drums in high school, notes that when she was a fourth grader, schools funded music programs. Bermudez agrees, “I just wanted to give back what I got in elementary school.” She finds this community-based band nothing short of amazing and is grateful to the community for making it possible.

“This is a community effort built around the school,” she stresses. She also appreciates what the participants receive in return. “It teaches self-esteem, how to work with groups and how to read music and play simultaneously,” Bermudez asserts. “It also builds leadership skills in the teenagers and conducting skills in the adults,” she adds.

Several students carry on their family’s tradition by playing the very instrument their parents played as children. Susan Dalton gets a kick out of watching her daughter Laura play the same clarinet she did growing up. Her son, Sean, who currently attends Bret Harte Middle School, played his father’s trumpet in the Simonds’ band.

“I wanted to play it because my dad did,” Sean enthuses, “I liked that I could play an instrument and I liked performing.” He also appreciates the headstart the program gave him. “I have music theory at my new school and I already know a lot about it,” he says.

Fifth grader Rebecca Spodick is the only girl trumpeter in the band, and she likes playing her dad’s instrument. Her father, David Spodick, is one of the band’s conductors and feels it provides a real learning experience for everyone involved. “It’s something I had as a kid, and it’s a shame they can’t offer it on a day-time basis taught by professional teachers,” he comments. Percussion volunteer Laura Nachison appreciates Spodick’s dedication to the children. “He makes it so fun for them and motivates them,” she observes.

Bill Buckley teaches percussion to the band students. “The wonderful thing about Bill,” notes Joy Spodick, “is that he’s done it since the beginning. His daughter went through Simonds and he stayed because he loves it.”

Buckley finds volunteering with the music program rewarding. “I enjoy helping kids learn about music,” he says. He hopes that the children get something out of the experience and continue to play in middle and high school bands. “That’s where I made good friendships,” he reflects.

Don MacInnes teaches saxophone and has played an instrument since he was in the fourth grade. “When I started playing, it was the coolest instrument in the band.” He is impressed with the progress his students have made, “For kids who couldn’t even blow air, to perform in a concert is great!” He appreciates the assistance he has received from Castillero Middle School students Sean Pachecho and Kristin Allmon, as well as from parents and teachers. “I think it gives the students a broader experience and a sense of school pride,” MacInnes says.

Alice Kawaguchi enjoys watching her daughters, Kelsey and Emily, play flute side by side. Emily now attends Castillero Middle School, but played in the same band when she was in fourth grade. Today she is a mentor and inspiration to her younger sister.

In addition to drums, trumpets and flutes, band students at Simonds play clarinets, saxophones, trombones, and French horns. Although drums featured prominently in the recent concert, each group of instruments was showcased in turn. The flutes and clarinets led the recital with “Good King Wenceslas” and “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.”

Later, saxophones, trumpets and trombones did the same, illustrating the unique sounds each instrument produces. The French horns and percussion instruments rounded out the concert with “Crusaders March” and “Cardiff by the Sea.” Besides “Good King Wenceslas,” the entire beginning fourth grade band also presented “Hot Cross Buns,” while the more advanced fifth grade band performed “Sawmill Creek,” “The Hanukkah Song,” and “Up on the Housetop.” For their grand finale, both bands joyously performed “Jingle Bells” together.

Parents and middle and high school students played alongside their proteges, supporting them throughout the performance, while music teacher Terry Bermudez accompanied them on piano. The proud parents and grandparents applauded loudly as the winter band concert drew to a close and showed their appreciation of the students’ efforts with a standing ovation.

Bermudez, who also received tremendous applause for her efforts with the music program, believes that by participating in this unique band, the students have a chance to see life-long learning. “It builds people,” she observes.