Thanks for the Music Doc Lewis

My best memories from Raytown South High School involve the music department.  We had a great Director, Dr. Carroll C. Lewis, and I am grateful for his musical influence in my life.

Here is the band room where we spent so many challenging moments.

All of us remember these formidable practice rooms in the front of the classroom (behind the music stands), because Dr. Lewis had an interesting system of challenges.  The “best” musician in each section was given the honor of sitting in the first seat, but if you wanted to challenge you could.  All you had to do was (each) play a musical excerpt while sitting in one of the practice rooms, unseen by the rest of the band.  We would listen and vote for the best.  It kept everyone striving to be better, although  I don’t recall that I ever challenged anyone; I certainly wasn’t capable of bettering anyone on the French Horn. It was fun to run into other band members while on a tour of the high school — Bill (with his wife Gretchen) — one of the best jazz saxophone players I’ve ever heard; and Larry — both of these guys played clarinet in the concert band. I was eager to sit at the piano where I first began my “professional” career as a high school piano accompanist.  While in school I was the accompanist for the Girl’s Glee Club at least one year. I never dreamed that I would spent 30+ years of my life accompanying high school choirs, soloists and ensembles in Wyoming (and in the Rocky Mountain region and around the world actually), or that I would attempt the jazz styling that I admired so much in high school (in those days girls were not allowed in jazz band, nor would I have come close to matching the abilities of our keyboardist, Jerry).

Still, I love my job, and I think we produce some outstanding results.  I am proud to announce that this year our small high school in Buffalo, Wyoming, will have over 120 students in band, as well as four choirs for me to accompany once again.  Music is alive and well in our schools!  This morning I return to the All Men’s Choir, which has over 30 guys in it, and they’re good — they received a #1 rating at Festival last year in their inaugural year.  We have two great music teachers that I get to work with, and the BHS vocal jazz groups, jazz bands, percussion ensembles, steel drum bands, choirs and marching bands are legendary in our region!  I love each of the students deeply, and am so proud of them!  I’m thankful to be a part of this, and for me it all began here — in my own school days.

Sadly, I discovered that the Choir Director I worked with — Mr. Walker — had passed away in the 70′s not long after I graduated.  He was very young at the time, and had barely begun his career.  I had no idea that he had lived such a short life.  I’m glad they memorialized him in this trophy case.  He was a great teacher and funny, too, as you can tell by where he chose to sit at times.

How much great music did we get to perform on this stage?

How often have these instruments been played?

How many times did these bells play the opening sounds of the traditional “Concert Opener,” written by Dr. Lewis?  This was a way to begin the concert, introduce the highlights of the evening and warm up the instruments, but I thought it was meant to put fear into the heart of the current band president, who had to do the talking, without notes. Here are some pictures of my friend, Jenny, and I at the time we were “initiated” into band.  We each had to make “paddles” that symbolized, I suppose, our status as rookies.

Jenny and I went to the top of the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City a few years ago to see Dr. Lewis, who had retired sometime earlier, and to hear him play in the piano bar.  He grinned at me and said, “French Horn player, talked a lot;” then looked at Jenny and said, “Clarinet player, also talked a lot.”  I asked if he remembered the time Jenny fell off the back of the risers in class, but managed to hand her clarinet off to a guy just in time.  I don’t remember his answer, but I remember the incident well — we had just smiled at each other across the band; I looked back at my music and there was a crash; when I looked back she was gone!

When I mentioned some of the songs I remembered from our band days Dr. Lewis sat down and played them on the piano for us.  I’m glad we took the time to visit with him, because he has since passed away.  We remarked to each other later that he was exactly the same  as we remembered him — stately, poised, polite, neatly dressed and extremely skilled.  Sadly, he will not be able to attend the all-band reunion we are holding next summer in his memory.  But we will never forget the lessons he taught us — about music and excellence, about working together and going beyond our abilities.  He gave us a gift that has lasted a lifetime — the love and appreciation of great music. Thank you Dr. Lewis; we are forever grateful!

(Click to enlarge the photo below)