MIDDLETOWN — This past Wednesday evening, the Middletown Unified School community took a moment to step back and recognize the tremendous efforts of teachers, parents and others to bring back the Middletown Unified School Band. This year signifies the year that the first students (from the year the program was re-started) are now seniors at Middletown High School.
About 10 years ago there was a wonderful confluence of teachers, parents, and community members who came together as a concerned group wanting to restore the MUSD school band. An entire generation of kids had passed through the district with no instrumental music program.
They approached the school board to voice their concerns. The school board said, “Show us that this is something that the community wants and we can move forward.”
So the talented musicians Ami Barker, Reikor Deacon, David Leonard who were teachers, as well as parent (at the time) Patricia Jekel started volunteering after school to teach music to students.
They asked the school board for permission to use the old instruments that had been locked in an unused portable classroom out by the Ag. Department gathering dust, and were given permission.
Allison and Greg Rodgers did major community fundraising through open mic nights and getting the word out in newspaper articles, and at Mountain High raising over $3,000 to recondition the old instruments and to buy music books and supplies. Calpine Corporation also has been a major donor to the program, contributing funding for uniforms, band chairs, reconditioning instruments and other supplies.
After two years of teaching kids, the volunteers returned to the school board and the new band performed. The board was unanimous in approval of a paid band instructor! Patricia Jekel was hired as the new Instrumental Music Instructor.
Those first students have now reached their senior year of high school, and so the MUSD school band is re-constructed.
At Wednesday evening’s school board meeting, a short montage of photos and video clips showed an overview from the beginning days of the program to the current year. The video displayed that as the students moved into middle school and then high school, Mrs. Jekel incorporated more of the regional programs that other bands participate in. For example, the band now participates in the Solo and Ensemble Festival at Chico State University, the Mendo-Lake Honor Band, the Middle School Band Camp (Jump Start in Music through Cazadero Music Camp), and Christmas in Middletown. The High School Pep Band now performs at football games and at school rallies.
Of course there are “growing pains” with the growing program. There are new opportunities that create new challenges. The new Band Booster group that has formed looks forward supporting the band in finding solutions to present to the board, as well as fundraising for the program. It is thrilling that this year one of the tasks is finding a way to celebrate our senior band members…because it is over 20 years since MUSD has had senior band members!
Thank you, Patricia Jekel, for guiding the resurrection of the MUSD School Band!
For more information, or to help with funding support for the program, please contact patricia.jekel@middletownusd.org
