The Richmond and San Pablo communities did a great job at their area festivals the past two nights. After four straight nights of working these rehearsals and concerts I am exhausted and greatful we have such a supportive community. Anyone who knows knows that there is never really a break from the struggle. I'm so greatful to the families who support their students in the arts and to be able to watch that community grow here.
In one capacity or another Ive been a part of doing music area festivals in this district since I was 9. A simple concert tradition where a feeder family comes together for each grade level to perform for one another. Makes me pretty sad that due to @wccusd collapsing our elementary music program these concerts will be a thing of the past. In my twelve years at RHS Ive watched these festivals grow and this year is the first time Ive watched them decline due to the lack of nuritiment given to our programs. These issues are not financial, but neglect.
The past two evenings I told the families of these elementary students that their programs will not exist next year due to the district cutting them. So many of them had absolutely no idea this was happening. A basic of being an educator is that you have to meet folks where they are at. If I continue to fail in an area of teaching over and over it means I need to adjust, not the students.
I hope folks know that @rhsoilers has a very strong Academy of Music that will continue to give voice to the youth of our community in partnership with @cityofrichmondca@eastbaycenter@westcontracostaedfund@rhsmusicdept
Even though music is my profession it is rare for me to feel inspired. Last week the @thevanguardjazzorchestra coming to play a concert and do workshops with the @rhsmusicdept Jazz band was the most inspired I've felt in years. I am very greatful to our friends @echsbands for setting up this opportunity. Getting to briefly work with @terrellstafford reminded me that I am a trumpet player first.
A huge thanks to @cityofrichmondca for making it possible to bring these world class musicians to our community. Big thanks to @westcontracostaedfund for their support and @rhsoilers
First time in my career to have groups get Superior ratings. Very proud of my kids always pulling through despite the adversity that always tries to get in their way.
Thank you for the support @rhsoilers@cityofrichmondca@westcontracostaedfund
Next Wednesday, 4/22, 7pm in the ECHS theater come see the legendary Village Vanguard Orchestra! The show will the jazz ensembles of Richmond High, El Cerrito High, and Korematsu Middle.
This group is the resident big band at the Village Vanguard in NYC. They rarely travel so this is an amazing chance to hear some of the greatest jazz musicians alive in our own backyard.
Not only will the students share the stage with them, but the next day they will recieve masterclasses and workshops from the pros! Please support this amazing opportunity and come hear some amazing big bands.
Tickets are $40, and can be purchased at echsbands.com/concerts
@rhsoilers@westcontracostaedfund@cityofrichmondca@eastbaycenter@kcsmjazz91@echsbands@cityofelcerrito@rhsmusicdept
This event is always a whirlwind. After hours of hurry up and wait the kids march three miles in front of several hundred thousands of people. There are fire works going off, television cameras, dragons, hundreds of other groups, and a series of very tricky gate turns. It really is an amazing experience getting to march through the city with sound of our Richmond kids reverberating off the buildings at night.
Way to represent our community at such a high level on such a big stage little music homies.
Huge thank you to @cityofrichmondca and @westcontracostaedfund for all of your support!!! The opportunities you are helping create for our students are life changing.
@rhsmusicdept@rhsoilers@rodimus.prime.21@jlmader_
All I did was leave a comment on a @larussell video and next thing you know my @rhsmusicdept is making this dope piece of art. We had a student team arrange the music, students then came up with the various shots and flow of the video, they then taught it to the entire band and they worked until everyone had the routine down. I am so proud of you kids. Just remember folks who dont do, dont know what it takes to make it happen. We learned a lot through this experience and your bond has strengthened as a result. I respect you kids for never stopping @rhsmusicdept .
Anyone who has known me a long time knows that local music is where I come from. Ever since I was in high school starting bands being inspired by the generations of local musicians ahead of me. @larussell exemplifies that energy and on a whole other level. He and his team showed up, took what the kids made, amped it up, and knocked it out in two takes at 10am. He and his team are some high level professionals and I am grateful my students got to work with them.
Go follow and support @larussell
Full video: https://youtu.be/2QiWIwpToA8?si=k5lNLkV8G16kEVAq
Also some excellent camera work by @splashthakidd
There is a lot going on right now, as there always is, but this year is different. Years of neglect manifesting as no music for students in our district. Contrasted by years of myself working and building something I never imagined or planned. If you knew the lack of effort put in and had to see the results in hundreds of children faces daily. If you were able to see those children fight and overcome these challenges year after year. If you saw the intentional dismantling of communities by those who pretend to care. If you could feel the pride of seeing children grow into successful hardworking adults.
The problems they present have solutions thst would hurt their pride and their friends pockets. The solutions would mean they'd have to not only do the work but be open to the fact that they do not know.
Yesterday I went from conducting the orchestra for our Helms family, to having a kid try to threaten me my classroom, to cooking twenty pounds of meat, having my family visit us briefly, and then to a football game. I am so grateful for always having kids who take of me, each other and our program.
Thank you to @cityofrichmondca@eastbaycenter@westcontracostaedfund for supporting our program and allowing us to thrive.
That's a wrap on year 11 at RHS and 14 as a teacher. I swear a year at our school feels like a decade. Everything is a battle and each day presents new obstacles. As I try to turn it off for a few weeks I can feel the urge in my body to be constantly on my toes. Anyone from the area knows nothing is easy around here.
Again I have to say goodbye to a group of kids who I have worked with for four years. I watch them grow from timid children to empowered young adults. To make it four years with me is not easy. I try to push them in ways that will enure success in any route their path leads. I have to support them through their life struggles while balancing keeping them moving forward.
This senior class was my first four year run of a group after covid. They helped keep our program growing while I welcomed my boy into the world. They coped with the loss of one of their own. They held me accountable and held me up the many days I felt loke o couldn't do this shit anymore. They led us to victories, through defeats, and have left me with a strong well equipped group of seniors for next year.
I am going to miss each of them, but now they become bandcestors. If youre a bandcestor and you read down this far don't forget I'm still rooting for each of you and miss you.
#neverstop
Jazz band had a busy one last week.
A yearly huge thanks to @25thstreetrecording for taking such good care of us and being real pros. The studio is always one of the best and toughest lessons of the year.
Then on Friday they played at the @lifeatccc graduation.
Just finished building a new power supply and am one big step closer to moving this console into the studio. This step was a little beyond me but now it's another piece of the puzzle locked in.
Now there are just 34 more input channels to modify 😅
Past two weeks have had six, twelve hour days, 6 concerts, one heartbreaking viewing, and not enough rest.
The band and string area festivals had over two hundred kids from Richmond/San Pablo schools. My Music Department seniors put on a great recital that demonstrated their growth as musicians and demonstrated their connections to it. We had six performances at our end of year concert, with fourteen pieces to conduct, and a solid twelve hours in our theater. To top off this week our Advanced Orchestra won 1st place in their division and 1st Orchestra over all.
If only you could see the six rpd cars outside of school this morning dealing with a very upset naked man as we loaded our bus, and then see our students light when they were announced as the winners. These kids deal with the wildest things on the regular but come out of it stronger and better. Our Orchestra had some rough performances this year and had to put in a tremendous amount of work to get to this point. I hope they are as proud of themselves as I am of each of them.
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@rhsmusicdept@cityofrichmondca@cityofsanpablo_ca@rhsoilers
