Heavy Concert Program or what????

[Bandmaster]

I have been cleaning out my office here at home for the last couple of days and been finding lots of old stuff that I have saved over the years. This one is from 1977 when I was in the number two Symphonic Band at Long Beach State under Gordon Norman. I remember him telling the band about one of the high school bands we were going to share a concert with while we were on our mini concert tour that spring. He read off some of the pieces that Castle Park High School was playing that spring and I remember that we all raised our eyebrows more than a few inches when we heard the list. Well... I found their program from that spring. They did not play of the pieces that night since they were sharing time with us, they did play the first two number listed on page one below. But they had all these compositions ready their two main concerts they were to give that spring (the one program was printed to cover both concerts). Instead of me just typing the list and having folks maybe not believe me, I scanned the program and I will post the the two concert lists below. My question is... how many high school programs today would have the guts to take on ALL of these works in one semester?

1976-1977 Castle Park High School Wind and Percussion Ensemble
under the Direction of Michael T. Luzak

[Chapagne]

JAY-sus! I would love to know how young that music program started and what they were doing in junior high. You can't get to that level without a hell of a feeder program.

Here's a bit of proof that it's real as well. I think I found the MySpace page of one of the soloists. He's the right age, although holding a flute, he has several trombone-playin' friends.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... D=83031509

And here's another. Grad date matches:
http://www.hometown.aol.com/RobChavezfirst/

No luck searching for Karen Dugall or John Caffarel though.

[bassoonuba]

Wow! That is sure a "chop-killer" concert. I bet it would have been neat to see/hear though.

[senza cervello]

I would have loved to be a part of that concert. If any concert deserves a standing ovation, it'd be that one.

Unfortunately, my newly stained reed, 2 tubes of lip balm, and bottle of ibuprofen might disagree.

[Jsaxm]

That's an amazing program. This was obviously done before NCLB, hahaha!!!!

[cgamy]

As someone who grew up with the Castle Park folks from that era, this kind of programming was not unusual. I attended Hilltop HS at the same time this program was printed and music education down there began in the 3rd grade. All students had to participate in either vocal or instrumental music. It was an incredible time to be involved in music and I can remember being in 3rd grade and being given a clarinet for the first time. Those were fun times that forever changed our lives and kept many of us focused.

Amy

[Wildabeast]

Dave,

At first glance, I thought you posted 2 pages from the same concert program.



Whew!

[Jsaxm]

That's amazing. In my district we are still trying to get them to hire another elementary teacher so our kids can have more than 45 minutes a week in elementary band. At the same time trying to get them to realize that the number problems from grade to grade are reflected by the lack of instructional time being given at the beginning stages and kids quitting because they are frustrated or even bored.

[JazzGeek]

When I was in college (USC) and sightreading Trittico, eyes rolled when I casually said "I played this in high school". "What high school did YOU go to?" Castle Park was my answer. Michael Luzak was our band director through my junior year, and yeah, the feeder program started us young---Ricki Pedersen was my violin/orchestra instructor during grade school, Del Bangle was my band director @ Castle Park Junior High, and Gary Withem & Mike Luzak during high school.....crying shame that budget cuts have pretty much slain the music program....

[supermutant]

Stunning! If that doesn't give one pause to consider where we are, nothing will.

[mightyhorn]

Can you send me a copy of that program?
Then....anytime ANYONE WHINES I'll just say
"You want hard!!??"

mightyhorn
mightymightyhorn@gmail.com

Nevermind! I found a way to copy it!!

[mightyhorn]

This sounds like our feeder programs tha went into Fremont HS in Sunnyvale. EVERY 3rd grade students did recorder, chours, and could read & understand rhythm.
Our Advanced Band in MS played grade III or IV.
By the time we were seniors in HS we were playing
1812, Pictures at an Exhabition and the Hindemeth.
mightyhorn

[robroythepiper]

Friday, January 11, 2013 there will be a memorial service for Michael Luzak at 2:00pm at Chula Vista High School in the Jack Tygett Theater. Chula Vista, California.


Saturday, January 12, 2013, there will be a funeral service at Glenn Abbey in Bonita at 1:00pm. Information for this can be found at the Glenn Abbey website.


His daughter Amber has also posted information:
Memorial service to be held at Glen Abbey this Saturday, Jan. 12 at 1pm. More information can be found at glenabbeysandiego.com. If you want to send flowers ahead, they don't have a cold storage facility so please have them arrive no earlier than Saturday morning (they open at 8am). This service will be a completely secular celebration of my father's life and I encourage anyone who wants to to bring their instruments or their voices and a song to play.