Another Year Gone By.    Tom Lizotte    June 15, 2010

Whew! Another year has gone by and it is time to celebrate the
contributions of Cape Elizabeth High School’s student musicians.
From the first day of school until our last concert in June it was a
wonderful year. The students worked hard and approached the
preparation and events with much devotion.

As a result, the performances in concert and in evaluated events
were consistent, musical and, I think, enjoyable to our audiences.
Judging from the emails and ersonal conversations I have had, our
efforts were appreciated. That is so gratifying, as is the opportunity
to experience the students’ great growth musically and emotionally.

Participation in music is very important for young (and not so young)
people. Beyond the experience of music itself is the intellectual stimulation
and the teamwork that is necessary to be part of a band or choir. In music
we all rely upon another in an intellectual and spiritual pursuit. Few
endeavors share those qualities.

In these times of multitasking and ever-shortening concentration levels
 – “advances” in society thrust upon us by technology – the skills involved
in music rehearsals and performances are more important than ever. We
are helping develop parts of the brain that would otherwise go undeveloped.
Win Phillips put it beautifully in his graduation speech when he addressed
technology’s affect on our students. Music – like literature – is a way of
experiencing quiet, thoughtfulness and real human communication. A
 computer will never be able to exactly replicate that. I think our students
understand and appreciate that. The work the students do is to be admired.

I was particularly pleased with the year’s last concert, which was held the last
day of classes. That concert was scheduled that way in part to emphasize to
the students that every minute of their school experience is important. I’m
proud of the fact that our students don’t “mail it in.” It’s an important life
lesson. Here is a great story. I am always stressing the need to fight the
tendency to “mail it in,” particularly on Friday afternoons before vacation,
whether in band or any class. I got a reaction when I said to one of the bands,
“You can mail it in this afternoon. Your mind can be in full vacation mode.
Mail it in…at 2:19 (keeping in mind that school gets out at 2:20). One student
came up to me and said, in all seriousness, “But what if I don’t want to mail it in?”

Such are the rewards of teaching. Cape students and community, thank you for
 another great year. You are the best!