My friend Andy Hoefle sent this to me, and it touched me deeply. It spoke so much more eloquently than I to all that I have been espousing and advocating over the years about music, education and culture that I asked permission to reprint it. Several sentences convey such valuable insights that I have italicized them. Andy is an excellent tubist and a fine teacher serving on the faculty of South Suburban Community College in South Holland, Illinois. I’m going to let his words serve as the introduction:

“I was recently speaking with Sam Hazo, Jr. (noted composer and HS Band Director) about music advocacy, and he mentioned a speech written by his father (Poet Laureate of Pennsylvania) titled “Strike Down the Band.” It was delivered at the 1997 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association State Convention as the Keynote address. Sam, Jr. sent it to me and asked me to share it with a large number of people. We are all seeing the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act and diminishing support for music in our schools. Feel free to read, share and admonish administrators, parents and students and educators with this pearl.”

I begin on a personal note. My son majored in music education at Duquesne University and was graduated with a citation as the most outstanding senior in that field. After graduation he went on to teach in two different high school musical education programs. Then I shared with him a grim period when musical education programs in which he was involved both as a teacher and band director were cut back. The question I asked then and ask now is why, when economies are called for, are the arts the first to be targeted? Instead of striking up the bands in our country, why are we determined to strike them down and all in the name of prudence and fiscal wisdom?

Let us remember that the word “economics” comes from the Greek word meaning “house management.” What kind of good house management is it to deprive a family of that which is central to its cultural life in the name of economics? Above all, why should music be the first to be evicted, for heaven's sake? Why not science, mathematics, hygiene and so on? Personally I'm against any cuts in education across the board, but I have yet to receive an intelligent explanation that justifies penalizing students by depriving them of an artistic education, especially in music. I think I would be somewhat pacified if those who advocate things like the death of music programs would be willing to drop music from their own lives as totally as they would wish it done in schools - no stereo in the home, no opera, no symphonies, no jazz, no music in the car, no CDs, no singing in the shower, no music whatever.

The absurdity of this suggestion answers itself. Unless you are a total troglodyte, a life without music is like a life without oxygen. If it is difficult for a normal adult to imagine a life without music, why is not the cutting out of music programs from the educational curriculum regarded with indignation, shock, and even rage? Is it because the so-called practical programs and technology-related studies are regarded as being ultimately more lucrative? Is it not the responsibility of true educators to resist trendy pressures and enticements and stand up for those values that enhance a student's imaginative and cultural life regardless of what consequences this may have in later life? In other words, does it square with education itself to eliminate what any intelligent educator or administrator would be forced to acknowledge as the heart of education itself, namely, the nurturing of the imagination?

Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, President and founder of the University of Virginia, framer of the Virginia statutes, author of the Declaration of Independence, was also an inventor, a musician and the author of poetry in English, Latin and Greek. He believed that a total education was rooted in memory, reason and imagination. Translated into a curriculum, this means schooling in history, philosophy and the arts. This is not vocational training. This is not the in-servicing of technicians. This is not short-changing people of those disciplines that mark a liberally educated man or woman, but educating them to be aware that dreaming or imagining the world anew and then realizing those imaginings are what makes living a daily and ongoing drama of creation.

As much as I respect history and right reasoning, I must admit that I am partial to the imagination. Why? Because I believe that everything - repeat everything - originates there. I referred earlier to the Declaration of Independence. Where did it originate except in Thomas Jefferson's imagination? Where did Shakespeare's plays originate except in Shakespeare's imagination? We can trace Disney World to one man who years ago imagined a cartoon involving a talking mouse named Mickey, who in time created the whole empire. Where does everything, from the languages we speak or write down to the way we are dressed right now, originate but in the imagination of the many, the few, or you or me? The imagination is the primal source of all that we do. And it is only the arts - dance, painting, poetry, music and so on - that permit the imagination to mature. And yet, amazingly, it is the arts that have been made the undeserved and unexpected enemies of those who believe that saving money by depriving the arts of funding - especially government funding - is simply good bottom-line thinking.

But the bottom line is not everything. There is such a thing as the top line - rarely mentioned but much more important. Without the top line, there would be no bottom line. The top line is concerned with visions, not costs, with what is in the best interest of the young, regardless of the bearable burden it places on their elders. Fathers and mothers who sacrifice for their children would have no argument with this; they would understand its meaning immediately. They know what it is to sacrifice for the good of their children, and they know what the consequences would be if they didn't. Why can we not expect the same spirit from those who are elected and entrusted with the public good? If we educate people "on the cheap," what can we expect but a cheapened adult population in a cheapened society governed by cheapening national policies and attitudes. I, for one, believe that the cheapening of our national values must be reversed.

Let those who say that the government should get out of our lives recall the section of the Constitution that stipulates that civic leadership should provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and seek the blessings of peace for ourselves and our posterity. I contend that nothing promotes the general welfare and seeks the blessings of peace better than the arts - even more than religions, which, for some reason in our time, tend more toward divisiveness than unity. And of all the arts, music stands alone as the ultimate unifier.

I think it is regrettable that many who believe in the importance of music in the formal education of students often feel compelled to defend it in terms of how it enhances life in other areas. But music needs no justification for its existence other than that existence itself. Does the beautiful need any other justification outside of itself?

The hunger for beauty, like the hunger for music and knowledge and God, is part of our very natures; it touches us. We don't learn because our learning will someday "pay off." We learn because it fulfills us, satisfies our curiosity, delivers us from ignorance. And that's enough.

I believe that educating students with an appreciation for music or, better yet, with the talent and skill to make music is one of the crowns of learning. Like poetry, music puts us in touch with our feelings and through our feelings, with our very souls. Being in touch with one's self, being capable of being alone and enjoying one's company for a time, being moved to feel what one would not otherwise feel - how can any intelligent parent, teacher or, above all, political representative find fault with this? On the contrary, are these not goals that should be abundantly and continually supported?

Contributing to the arts really is contributing to our national wealth. Not doing so is engaging in a conspiracy against our own greatness. And it is this greatness - past and present - that defines American culture at its best. It is what we have to share with one another and the world. What do we do for those who study here or who merely visit our country, but expose them to the national heroes of our past and present who have created our architecture, our poetry and literature, our fine arts, our music?

Excising arts programs from our educational and cultural life is not only shortsighted. It is suicidal. We are literally killing our spiritual selves if we do so.

Dr. Samuel J. Hazo
Poet Laureate, State of Pennsylvania

---

Jimmy Simmons and I are long-time friends from the '60s when he was a student at Memphis State College (now the University of Memphis). His career has taken him through the complete spectrum of education from teaching public school to being a college music teacher and band director, then a dean and these last five years president of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Jimmy is also a very fine professional musician, an excellent saxophonist, and a pretty darned good piano player. We have performed together recently with two symphony orchestras. Most important though, Jimmy is a passionate and dedicated spokesman and advocate for the Arts and is an inspiration to so many of us. This speech, given this year at Texas Summit on Fine Arts, offers extremely pertinent counsel, speaking clearly to so much regarding Arts and education.

It is an honor to have the opportunity to visit with you today.  This is really a homecoming for me.  I see many colleagues, friends, and former students in the audience.

From a list of topics sent to me that included everything from ESBEC to TEK to accountability,  I selected my own topic - How can we improve Fine Arts Education in Texas?

I am probably not going to tell you one thing that you have not heard before, but I’ll bet you have never heard this topic discussed by a University President whose background is in music, education, and fine arts.

I have taught at every level from elementary to university, and I have always maintained a performance schedule and practice regimen.

I am passionate about the arts and I am passionate about education.

Education is more than training for a job; it is preparation for a life – a life that should include appreciation of the arts.  The arts make us a civilized and cultured people - a part of the wholeness of being.

That’s why this business of education is so very important.  What happens in the classroom at all levels – from kindergarten through college – is a vital part of making American society a great society.  And that is what makes this summit so important today.

How do we improve fine arts education?  I have six suggestions for you today.

We can improve fine arts education by developing a passion or love for the arts at an early age.

It has been said that the Chicago political machine in its heyday encouraged citizens to “Vote early. Vote often.”  We must use a similar slogan – “Inspire early.  Inspire often.”

 Marvin Stamm, a graduate of North Texas and a friend of mine, is an outstanding professional musician/performer/clinician who travels the country working with students and teachers.  He tells me that he has noticed a precipitous decline in passion for the arts - both from the teachers and the students.  Marvin says that he finds this lack of passion at all levels - teachers not demanding and students not caring.  Of course Marvin says that there are many exceptions, and most of those I’m sure are in Texas.  Marvin maintains a web site www.marvinstamm.com and I encourage you to visit it.  Go to Cadenzas read the discussions from Editions V, VI, and the supplement on teachers that follows.  Some outstanding educators from across the country discuss this very topic. By the way, Marvin will be at Stephen F. Austin State University this spring performing with their fine jazz band.

We must recruit and retain top notch artists and teachers who love their work, and we must also develop an audience for our art.  Please do not get me wrong. There are many dedicated, caring teachers in the field. We just need more of them.

But, if we really are going to improve, we must ignite a passion and love for the arts at an early age.  We must teach children to love the sound of music, the shape and color of a piece of art, the movements of a dancer, and the drama of a play. Then we will have an audience as well as teachers and performers.

Another way to improve fine arts education is for all of our teachers to step up to the challenge of being role models - icons for the arts.

Teachers need to stay involved in their art.  So many times I have seen a wonderful musician perform a great senior recital, graduate and become a music teacher - and never pick up his or her instrument again!

Recently, I was at a gala honoring one of our outstanding alumni, John Alexander, a world class artist now living in New York.  At that reception, John attributed much of his success in the highly competitive art world to the instruction he received early in his career from local teachers who were painting and exhibiting.

They were professionals who were teachers.   At Lamar University, we encourage our professors to be professionals who teach, not teaching professionals!

If you practice your art and perform, even locally, you will not only be benefiting your community by giving your talents, you will be richer – at least in terms of experience and relationships.

That engagement with professional pursuits provides enrichment in the classroom beyond the books.  It not only gives you more to share with your students, it also can motivate and inspire them.  You can become the best model and the best case study for the difference a teacher can make.

This summer I was on a vacation at Lake Livingston and received a call from Lowell Clark, retired Supervisor of music in Beaumont.  He asked me to play with the community band at the July 4 concert.  I did and I had a ball.  Teachers from many small communities got together and rehearsed and performed.  We had a great time and so did the audience.

I see Jeff Laird in the audience, the band director at Aldine High School, and I know he is a fine teacher.  But Jeff also keeps up his “chops.”  I have performed with him and heard him perform in many different musical settings - from jazz to classical.  I believe that by performing Jeff gains respect from his students, his community and his peers. But most of all, it helps him be a better teacher.

I also see Russ Schultz.  Russ is Dean of Fine Arts and Communication at Lamar.  I know that Russ continues to perform.  He will play recitals and perform with the local symphony and the community jazz band.  In spite of the huge demands of his administrative position, he continues to perform!

I also encourage you - and you should encourage your peers who are not here today, to get involved in local arts programs, community theaters and the like – be a leader in making the cultural happenings in your community better tomorrow than they are today.

John Maxwell in his best selling leadership book summarizes my point so well when he wrote: “Who you are is who you attract.”

The third suggestion for improvement is two fold - the size of our university arts curricula, and the focus of the programs.

In recent years, the curricula of many of our fine arts bachelor’s degrees has ballooned to 160 to 180 semester credit hours – requiring a tremendous investment of time, energy and money on the part of our students.  And, far too much to invest for a $30,000 a year teaching job  . . .  WE MUST realign our demands with reality.

To compete with other disciplines we must trim our curriculums to the basics and offer four year programs.  Business, Engineering, computer science, do!

Next,  we must redouble our efforts on performing, painting, acting, and dancing first - teaching second

When I attended college, I had no intention of teaching.  I was going to audition for the Air Force Jazz Band in Washington and had stars in my eyes.  After graduation, I went home to visit for a few days. The local school superintendent asked me to teach for a few months because a music teacher had resigned in the middle of the semester.   Well, that did it.  I loved teaching.  I really could not believe that anything could be that enjoyable.  I even was thrilled with the paycheck, $3,800 for nine months. Yes, that amount was $3,800 not $38,000.

But I was prepared!  I did my student teaching with a master teacher Ralph Hale at Christian Brothers High School.  He was also one of the most respected trombonists in Memphis.

It is well and good that our talented students have stars in their eyes — and focus their ambitions on performance careers – but the reality is that many of them will ultimately spend time teaching at some point in their careers.

I remember reading my college catalog (surprise) and discovering that it stated “if you do not pass your performance barrier (in the senior year) you can transfer to music education.”  When I joined the faculty years later, I got that changed.  It should have read if you pass your performance barrier you will be allowed to enter the music education program!

Teaching should not be looked on as a “lesser” option – in fact, the opportunity to help shape the future of others is a wonderful and noble gift.  And, as you know, we learn so much from our students as well. [Emphasis added]

My number four suggestion is to improve our teacher preparation programs.

I see too many promising teachers leave the profession after only a few years - some after only a few months.  It is a tremendous challenge for our graduates to make the shift from being students to being teachers – and those first two years of teaching can be very tough.  Student teaching usually does not do the job of preparing the student to enter the profession.   So often the student does not really get the kind of supervision and instruction that is needed to survive those early years in the trenches.

Teaching must begin as an apprenticeship. It is so important to work with a master teacher early in one's career. We must do more to provide new teachers with mentors – experienced fine arts teachers – who can provide guidance, encouragement and wisdom at critical points along the way.

This would help solve the revolving door problem we have in Texas.

My fifth suggestion for improvement is more money.

Maybe our theme song should be that great song from Cabaret, “Money, Money, Money makes the world go round.”

The unrealistic pay scale for our public school teachers is a major factor in keeping the best and brightest at the forefront of our future.

At Lamar University, and I’m sure at colleges and universities across the Lone Star State, it is harder than ever to recruit top students into the fine arts because they’re staring down a double barreled shotgun – one barrel is college debt, and the other is the promise of low pay – and that’s a very persuasive argument against a teaching career in the fine arts.

I strongly believe that teachers should be the highest paid professionals in the country.

My final suggestion for improvement is to gain political support for the arts in education.

It is really surprising how much one person can do.

Get to know your representatives in Austin and Washington.  Write a letter, place a call, and work with your associations.  Make sure that our legislators know and understand our needs – and specifically what fine arts education needs to thrive in Texas.

Involve your support groups and your booster clubs.

If you don’t tell them, who will?

To summarize, create a passion and a love for the arts at an early age, become a role model for your students, reconsider the fine arts college curricula, mentor young teachers, increase remuneration,  and work to gain political support.  This is not an easy task but one well within the reach of this summit group.

And finally, as you face tough times and long hours – most of all, realize and remember the importance of what you do for education and for society. Never, ever forget why you got into the business of education. [Emphasis added]

Jimmy Simmons, President
Lamar University - The Texas State University System
Beaumont, Texas

---

 
Two recent concerts stand out for me for different reasons. The first took place in Memphis, Tennessee, my hometown. Bill Mays and I were invited as guest soloists at the University of Memphis (UM) during Jazz Week, an event hosted by Director of Jazz Studies, Dr. Jack Cooper.

While it is always a great experience coming back home to play, this was special because Bill was with me and because of the revitalization that has taken place at UM under Jack’s guidance. When Jack came to UM six years ago, he immediately put his own stamp on things there. He is out of the old mold, coming from a family involved deeply in the Arts and education. Jack’s mom is a fine pianist and organist and has had a distinguished teaching career.

Jack is an excellent composer, arranger, and saxophonist. He is a demanding teacher, having high expectations of his students, expectations that must be met by all members of any one of his groups. There’s no fooling around with this guy! If you want to be in his band, you are expected to work and learn, know your parts, be a team player, and seek always to improve. Anything less than this shows a lack of desire, so go elsewhere if you want to be coddled! Man, I love that!!

I flew into Memphis early in the week to visit with my family and some friends. I also wanted to get together with the UM band - “Southern Comfort” - for a rehearsal prior to the dress rehearsal with Bill. We were playing four new pieces, three written by two talented students, Dave Lisik and Paul Morelli; I wanted to check out these new charts and also get in some extra playing time with the students. The new arrangements included the standard, “Speak Low” written by Dave, my ballad, “ Two As One” written by Paul, and Bob Florence’s composition, “Q&A.” The fourth composition was Dave Lisik’s original for Bill, “Waltz for Amy.”

For the band’s part, there was very little to rehearse; they “knew the music cold,” and all I had to do was make a few stylistic suggestions to suit my taste. The band swung, played with dynamics and exhibited great enthusiasm, any musician’s favorite quality. I have said many times that schedules for these events rarely allow enough time to truly interact with the students; this extra rehearsal did just that. It allowed us the opportunity of getting to know each other and feeling comfortable playing together. This comfort level came about very quickly! And for my part, this extra rehearsal was an excellent opportunity to run everything down, to become familiar with the new arrangements before Bill’s arrival. This preparation would make the dress rehearsal the next day move along more quickly.

A word about these new pieces: Dave Lisik and Paul Morelli are talented young musicians who did an excellent job on their three arrangements. Bill and I enjoyed sharing the rewards of their efforts. At one point in the rehearsal of “Two As One,” I heard Bill uttering sounds of satisfaction at the way Paul emphasized certain harmonic sequences. Regarding Bob Florence’s composition, “Q & A,” this piece is a wonderful vehicle for a soloist to play upon, allowing for reflection and a real dialogue between the soloist and the band. Bob is a marvelous composer, and I highly recommend his new CD, Whatever Bubbles Up, on which this piece is featured. The soloist on Bob's recording is the excellent trumpeter, Steve Huffsteter.

After Bill arrived the following day, we began by performing individual workshops with students and invited guests. Bill had a number of piano students, most of whom were classical players. My workshop included the brass students and some saxophonists. Several students played for me, and I offered them suggestions that I felt might open them up to new approaches to the music. The students displayed a lot of interest, and their participation with questions made the time fly. Workshops like these are always fun!

The workshops were followed by the dress rehearsal. Bill was as impressed with the band and its preparedness as was I. Rehearsing is many times boring and laborious, but not with this band. As I said before, Jack is quite demanding, and he tolerates no complacency among his players. He expects a lot and they give a lot, and it shows in their music. The success of Jack’s approach to teaching is displayed in the obvious joy the students take in playing well and sounding good.

Satisfied with the days events, Bill and I felt deserving of a treat, so we went for some great barbecue at Memphis’ famous eatery, Corky’s. When Bill and I travel down south or out west, we always try to seek out the best barbecue places wherever we are. Um-um!

Back to work the next day, Bill and I performed together in an improvisation workshop, which included an eclectic audience because the public was invited. We played and talked and then elicited questions from the workshop participants. Bill and I enjoy doing workshops in this manner, especially when we are presented with a lot of excellent questions like in this one. We answered all their questions by demonstrating our approach to improvisation, and it seemed we had just started before the workshop ended - an hour and a half later!

The final performance took place that evening, and all previous activities led up to this event. Everyone seemed ready and “psyched” for the concert. The band was excited to play as were Bill and I. You just know when things are heated up and ready to go. The band came out and played several pieces of their own, each seeming to build on the one before. They played a stylistically varied program and sounded excellent. When Bill and I entered the stage, everyone was primed. We first performed three pieces with the band - “Speak Low,” “Q&A,” and Dave Lisik’s original, “Waltz for Amy.” The band then left the stage while Bill and I played two compositions as a duo. We did Bill’s piece, “In Her Arms,” which is in 5/4 meter. It exhibits Bill’s melodic side while presenting us with a different kind of vehicle on which to play. The second duo tune was Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is The Ocean,” played as a medium tempo piece. A great standard with great changes to play upon! “Southern Comfort” returned to the stage, and we performed “Two As One.” Paul Morelli’s arrangement fits my ballad beautifully. We closed the concert with Jack Cortner’s up-tempo arrangement of “Secret Love,” the end of which featured an improvised cadenza “in duo” by Bill and me. This chart was “burning” and really closed the concert in fine style.

After the concert, the students came to thank us for our being so “open and available” to them. The beauty of this experience was looking them in the eye and knowing they really meant it, that we had touched them. Nothing is more special after a concert with young musicians than carrying away memories like these. Our experience in Memphis was wonderful, and we left feeling everyone had touched us as well. Before departing, Jack Cooper asked me if I was going to write of my experience there. I told him I was, and he said he wanted to add something. Here is what Jack wrote:

“On February 27 and 28, the University of Memphis School of Music hosted guest artists Marvin Stamm and Bill Mays at Jazz Week. This was one of the best guest artist experiences in my six years there as Director of Jazz Studies. Even though I have known Marvin for a few years and have worked with him closely, I am always impressed with his artistry, professionalism, and musical candor. Bill is his equal in all these categories.

“There are very few musical artists who play and are consistent at such a high level as Marvin and Bill. As important, they communicated very well (fairly and quite directly) with my students; the students responded well in turn.  Because of who these men are and how they are, the students played a concert with them as well as I have ever heard on our stage. Both Marvin and Bill were very giving of their time; Bill was ill with the flu while there and still he gave 120%.”

Words such as these make you know that all you have to deal with to play this music - being away from home for long periods of time, travel and all that it entails, dealing with situations that many times are less than ideal, and sometimes even complacent or negative attitudes from those for whom you have come to perform - is worth the effort! Working with people like Jack and groups like this is what keeps people like us out there, doing it!

---

Brigham Young University - Idaho

The quartet (Bill Mays, Rufus Reid, Ed Soph and me) flew to Idaho the first weekend in March for workshops and a concert at a festival hosted by Brigham Young University - Idaho (BYU-I). Traveling to Rexburg, Idaho, is not something to make light of, especially when everyone involved needed to travel at a different time from a different place! And arranging flights so Rufus’ bass could ride along with the baggage of the plane was another matter of great concern. Most people are unaware of the logistics involved in transporting even a small group like ours to a small community such as Rexburg. But for music - we’ll go anywhere! Almost!

I have played several times at the better-known BYU in Provo, Utah, a school noted for having an excellent Jazz department, but we all were unfamiliar with BYU-I. The program the BYU people had organized looked very interesting, with an excellent educational component, so we were looking forward to going there to perform. Working through details with our contact there, Ben Howington, proved to be a pleasure as Ben “took care of business.” I mention this because so often I deal with people who do not exhibit good organizational skills. Nor, it seems, do they care. It’s always terrific when working with people who do!

BYU-I is a much smaller school than the one in Utah, maybe 12,000 students in a town of approximately 18,000 people, but it has a lovely well-laid-out campus. While music is not one of the major pursuits among the students there, they have a good music faculty and excellent facilities.

One of the first things we notice when working with young musicians is their approach to what they are doing. Do they realize what is implicit in a good performance and do they care? Have they learned their parts and do they work well as a unit? Our first experience, a workshop as a quartet, coaching their combos on performance and improvisation, proved that they were extremely interested and very enthusiastic. We are not always greeted with this kind of positive attitude. There is nothing more disconcerting than to stand in front of a group of disinterested, complacent young people who seem to care little about what they are doing. To look into the bright eyes of a group of young musicians is a whole other thing, inspiring to say the least. We played a bit for them, then listened to three of their groups play, critiquing them and offering suggestions. They were really quite good and had established a good foundation in their approach to Jazz.

Though we would have enjoyed spending more time talking and playing with the small groups, we had to rehearse our music with the big band for the concert the following evening. The big band had rehearsed our arrangements well, but the students needed to be urged to put more of themselves into the music. Many times young musicians, particularly those who attend smaller schools, are somewhat timid about the music, holding themselves back. The trick is to get them to loosen up, to understand that this is all about having fun with the music and jumping in feet first. Once they know it’s all right to “let it all hang out,” they really take off. This was the case with the band at BYU-I, and once they got the idea, the music really started to happen.

We had the evening off and were guests at dinner with Don Sparhawk, the promoter for the concerts at BYU-I. Joined by several of the festival adjudicators, we enjoyed having an opportunity to become acquainted with our colleagues. As usual, the talk turned to music and education, but that is a story for another time. The dinner and the evening provided a nice way to relax with new friends.

Our real work began the next day. We were to perform workshops with individual instrument groups in both the morning and afternoon, followed by a third clinic, a group improvisation workshop for everyone. Then would come a sound check in the performance hall, followed by dinner and the concert.

These workshops involved young people, as this was a high school festival. High schoolers are the most difficult age group to reach. This is the grade level where we find it hardest to bring students out of their adolescent mode, trying to get them drawn into the music. They don’t have a lot of self-confidence at this stage of life, and they are rarely willing to speak up, afraid that their peers will criticize them. But all of us in the quartet have worked with young musicians for many years, and we know how to get the most out of what a situation will allow.

Because we had encountered some reticence from the students in the earlier morning workshop, we decided to meet for the first half-hour of the afternoon session with the larger group before breaking off into individual instrumental ensembles. This tactic always seems to work, because nudging students to interact with each other and with us opens them up for more meaningful dialogue when getting together for smaller individual sessions. The third and final workshop - group improvisation - was excellent. All the quartet members were quite pleased with the way the day’s activities played out.

After the sound check and dinner, the music began; this is what we traveled across the country (flying on two or three flights each way) to do. The quartet set opened the concert and, from the very first notes of Rufus’ long improvised introduction to Miles Davis’ “Nardis,” we had them! Each piece built to the next as we followed “Nardis” with Bill’s “In Her Arms,” my ballad “Two As One,” and closed with Rufus’ up-tempo samba, “When She Smiles Upon Your Face.”

Director Mark Watkins brought the big band to the stage, opening with two compositions before bringing me out to play three pieces with the band. The band was hot, and the students were really focused! The intensity established by the quartet continued to build as the band performed their two numbers, featuring three of the festival adjudicators, Jon Gudmunson on baritone sax, Steve Call on euphonium, and Bob McCurdy on trumpet. All are excellent musicians, and we enjoyed the opportunity to hear them play.

For my portion of the big band segment, we opened with Jerry Ascione’s arrangement of “Beautiful Love,” followed by Jack Cortner’s “Lover Man” and Mike Steinel’s “Samba de los Gatos.” On this concert segment, we featured two more of the festival adjudicators, David Halliday and Brent Jensen. David joined me on “Beautiful Love,” and Brent played on “Samba de los Gatos.” Both are excellent saxophone soloists from the Utah/Idaho area. Trumpeter Bob McCurdy sat in with the band’s trumpet section for this segment and that was fun! Bob teaches at the University of Idaho.

After thanking the audience and our hosts for their wonderful reception of our music, we appropriately closed the concert with Jack Cortner’s arrangement of “Caravan,” featuring all the members of the quartet. We “stretched out,” really “bringing the pot to a boil”! This was an excellent concert; everyone played beautifully and with great enthusiasm. I believe all of us on stage had great fun, and the audience sensed this from the first notes played. Certainly the four of us in the quartet felt it was well worth the two long days of traveling to and from Rexburg to be there, performing for and teaching these young people.

Though I seldom make a comment like the one that follows, I feel the need to say something that I believe is relevant to the attitudes and musical industriousness of the BYU-I students: The community of Rexburg and the university are comprised almost completely of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Few people outside the faith, including me, are familiar with the details of their religion. That, however, is not the important issue here. What I observed and found to be highly significant is the prominence of Mormons’ strong family ties and the support and involvement of parents in their children’s daily lives. The effect one sees is the focus the young people bring to bear on their education and the work ethic they display when taking on whatever tasks they choose. While talented, this was not the MOST talented group of musicians I have worked with. But they certainly worked hard at getting the most out of the music possible, achieving a great deal and giving a great concert, showing just what hard work and desire can do! The influence of Mormon family ethics relates directly to this attitude. I’ll take such an attitude any day over one of complacency, laziness and entitlement.