Directors Who Make a Difference

  • All Jazzed Up with Nowhere to Go

    Mike Lawson | December 9, 2014

    Directors Really Do Make a Difference

    The year was 1982 and I was a high school sophomore. I had been playing guitar since I was nine years old, almost entirely self-taught. I didn’t really read notation. I understood rests, repeats, basic things like time signatures, and the difference between a treble and bass clef, but the ebony notes dancing along the staff were a mystery to me. I could, however, read guitar chord charts, and if I could hear a song played while looking at a chord chart, I could generally tackle it within one or two passes.

    The one thing that made me eager to start my sophomore year was the opportunity to audition for the jazz band. Jazz band was typically reserved for juniors and seniors. I knew the band director wanted a guitarist, but the odds of a sophomore passing the audition were dreadfully slim. I’d asked around and learned that there were no other guitarists in the high school who were interested in playing in jazz band, let alone capable of passing the audition. I contacted the band director and arranged for an audition before school started, and to my delight, I passed it.

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  • SBO Seeks Nominees for 2014 ‘Directors Who Make a Difference’ Report

    Mike Lawson | September 11, 2014For the 17th consecutive year, SBO is gathering names for its annual Directors Who Make a Difference report. Do you know an outstanding K-12 music educator who is making a big impact in his or her school and community? Perhaps a longtime director or instructor who deserves a little bit of extra recognition for dedication to the craft of […] Read More...
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