Elgas was a well-known band director in Orange County. WESTFIELD The Westfield High School Marching Band is in the middle of a busy season, and they're loving every minute of it. More than 70 high school bands joined the non-profit organization in its first year. 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As the Director of Bands at Westfield High School, Mr. Vitale co-directs the Wind Ensemble, directs the Symphonic Band, oversees two winter color guards, and co-directs the Marching Blue Devils. The estimates received from two different companies for 120 uniforms averaged approximately $65,000. with Co-Band Director Trevor Sindorf, did some tallying out of curiosity. Ive been impressed here. In class, Elgas sometimes dimmed the lights and pushed boys and girls together to force them to kiss, she said. We are fortunate to have an amazing team of band directors, from elementary school through high school, that work together on a daily basis to make the bands in Westfield some of the best in New Jersey. 18250 N. Union Street. "A big part of what we provide in high school band is a social network for the kids.". The plaintiffs are not named in the lawsuit, and The Times does not name victims of sexual assaults. In 1999, a jury awarded $2.5 million to a former student who was 13 when science teacher and track coach Clifford Scofield began a sexual relationship with her. And I think music and art have proven to be a way for students to kind of just step away from that.". Stephanie Lai was a 2020 intern for the Los Angeles Times. Prior to coming to Westfield High School Mr. Vitale served as a high school band director in Fairfax County, Virginia. WHS Band co-director Trevor Sindorf was among a number of people who wrote letters of recommendation in support of Vitales nomination. He said he still has 30 students in the band at WTA.Kennedy said he is using Google Classroom this year, and the district was fortunate to buy a program for all the kids called SmartMusic, which allows music teachers to buy music to let students work on it at home. He said he sees music students there online every day. Katherine Pierce. The Westfield High School band has a hashtag #BandFamily that resonates with students, staff and families. Fremont Junior High, which closed in 1989, and Sycamore Junior High were part of the Anaheim Union High school district. During COVID, Vitale said he dealt with a number of challenges as band director and that he had to get creative when it came to teaching music online. Kids love to play, and everybody loves to see them do it. These groups study and perform a variety of literature, including swing, jazz, funk, and latin. Westfield High School Band director Christopher Vitale has been named to the 2022 "40 Under 40, a music education advocacy program launched by Yamaha last year to "recognize . Westfield High School Band Director Christopher Vitale has been named to the 2022 "40 Under 40", a music education advocacy program launched by Yamaha last year to "recognize outstanding music educators who are making a difference by growing and strengthening their music programs." The Westfield HS Marching Bulldogs of Chantilly, VA - a 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade band The eight former students sued unnamed defendants who were responsible for overseeing Elgas. WESTFIELD After an earnest appeal from High School Band Director Patrick Kennedy, the School Committee unanimously approved soliciting bids to replace the high school band uniforms, which are 25 years old and wearing thin. Vitale also co-founded the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association (NJMBDA) in 2020, with more than 70 high school bands joining the non-profit organization in its first year. "If I can teach that and foster a love and appreciation for music along the way, then I think Im doing everything I set out to do as an educator.. In October 1983, she gave birth to a boy, naming him Richard after his father. Westfield Winds is the 2021 IPA Open Class State Champion, 2021 WGI Class A Finalist, and 2021 WGI Fan Favorite. The Westfield High School concert bands have been consistently recognized across the state of Texas and beyond, being named the Texas 5A Honor Band three times most recently in 1998, and have performed at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. Copyright 2023 Westfield Public Schools. Growing up, he played trombone, flute, and piano, and was actively playing in top-notch ensembles throughout his high school career, including an award-winning 165 member marching band. He is invested in his students well-being far more than any band director I know.. All rights reserved. The backbone of . Vitale went to school for music education where he learned to play a variety of instruments, as well as upper level musical concepts that he now teaches to his students. As the Director of Bands at Westfield High School, Mr. Vitale co-directs the Wind Ensemble, directs the Symphonic Band, oversees two winter color guards, and co-directs the Marching Blue Devils. Band Director: Andrew Muth. The nonprofit NJMBDA had over 70 high school bands join in its first year. Vitale considers himself lucky not only because of his students and their families, but because he works in a supportive district filled with talented and dedicated music educators, including his co-director, Trevor Sindorf. All DMA Staff. All rights reserved (About Us). Im pretty proud of them so far, Kennedy said.Kennedy said the music program In some districts has really been decimated by the coronavirus. Vitale said there were over 35 letters written on his behalf. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Many of her students have been accepted into prestigious programs, such as California Summer School of the Arts, SCVA Honors Choir, California All-State Choir, and ACDA National Honor Choir, for the past consecutive years. "If anything, COVID has taught us that the arts in general, not just music, provides such an important part of a well-rounded education," Vitale said. She had not told her parents about the pregnancies, though they eventually tracked her down. At WHS, he meets with anywhere from 10 to 30 students at a time. All four of the Westfield High School student musicians who qualified for Region Band in January also were awarded spots in All-State Band. They are: Nolan Daly, 11th grade, Trumpet, All-State Symphonic Band . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I wonder where Id be today if it wasnt for this person who turned my entire world upside down, said the former student, now in her 50s, who later married and had children. The kids certainly do try. Music Director. The kids have been great in wearing the masks, and staying socially distanced. FAX: (323) 936-8455. Always professional and well respected by his colleagues, I can think of no one more deserving of this recognition., Vitale says that through music, we can teach acceptance, empathy, communication, accountability, time management and teamwork. The Westfield High School Bands, under the direction of Vitale and Sindorf, are 3-time Band of America regional finalists, repeated New Jersey State Gala participants, and an invitee to the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. She is an educator of many musical talents, where there have been times where she was a one wo-man band. Your Email. Cerritos. We are fortunate to have an amazing team of band directors, from elementary school through high school, that work together on a daily basis to make the bands in Westfield some of the best in New Jersey. Here in Southern California, Mr. Lee has been on the musical staff of the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra a tuition-free orchestra program for young musicians, where he served as a musical instructor and also ran a weekly after school musical enrichment program as the Musical Artist in Residence at Virginia Avenue Park. He died in 2017, according to the Orange County Coroner Division. Get a free morning newsletter with news in Westfield or another town: https://patch.com/subscribe, This article originally appeared on the Westfield Patch. Self-reflection and self-improvement have superseded competition. Westfield, IN 46074. According to Director of Bands Chris Vitale, The key ingredients of #BandFamily at Westfield are kindness, acceptance, respect and support. Fax: (317) 867-2909. The marching band is open to any student in grades 9-12. Each year, I am amazed and inspired by how accepting our students are of each other no matter what the circumstances.. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Music Teacher, HS. William Schnepper . . A counselor at Fremont Junior High witnessed Elgas reaching under her blouse and took no action, the former student said in an interview with The Times. Vitale said his nomination was completely unexpected. Vitale, who is in his 10th year with Westfield Public Schools and 15th year as a high school band director, said he was extremely surprised and honored to receive the recognition. A bit aways from his hometown, his musical . Vitale explained that there is a communal aspect of making music with other people that is not something students get in other academic subjects. According to Yamaha, they received hundreds of nominations from students, parents, teachers and local instrument dealers and mentors, highlighting the music educators impacting their community and students in a positive direction. Right now, Bob Plasse of Westfield on Weekends contacted me to see if we could do something on Channel 15. WESTFIELD - Band has been a little bit of a challenge to get underway, says Westfield High School and Technical Academy Band director Patrick Kennedy, but "we're slowly edging back towards some sense of normalcy," he said. We can all agree that band directing is equal parts music education and life education, Sindorf wrote. "I think our main focus was just on trying to keep the kids connected," Vitale said. Itinerant Music, Band, Teacher. Always professional and well respected by his colleagues, I can think of no one more deserving of this recognition., Vitale said that through music, we can teach acceptance, empathy, communication, accountability, time management and teamwork. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS/AMY PORTER). jazz I , jazz II, & STage Band. He said it wasnt a sin.. Were trying to find some ways to offer something for the holidays, and beyond that well see what happens, Kennedy said.This gave us all a chance to pause and reflect on things that are important to us, things we enjoy doing, and how fragile things are, Kennedy said. Westfield High School Bands. For the last decade, Chris has established a band culture and community at Westfield High School that encourages students to strive for excellence while emphasizing both camaraderie and teamwork, said Thomas Weber, Supervisor of K-12 Visual and Performing Arts. In addition, his ensembles continue to earn top performance accolades year after year. Yamaha says in a press release that hundreds of nominations were received by students, parents, teachers, and local instrument dealers and mentors, highlighting the music educators impacting their community and students in a positive direction.. The baby had a birth defect and died a week later. Fine and Performing Arts Course Catalog. Granite Bay High School Emerald Brigade. Venice High Schools Band Director,Mr. Leehails from a small suburban town in South Jersey. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Trained as a professional opera singer, Mr. Lee has a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory of Music. WHS Band Director Receives Prestigious Honor. Have a news tip? Two of the districts high school band directors, Alex Delao and Jeffrey William Plum, were convicted of molesting students in the 1980s. These eight women deserve to be vindicated. Though the award recognized me as an individual, I saw it more as a recognition of our band programs in Westfield, he says. I think theyll come back once things change. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Band Boosters Charms Office Suite Questions? The Marching.com links directory lists websites related to high school marching bands, college bands, Chris takes the 2nd assignment VERY seriously. They have the covers for trumpets, trombones, and saxophones, and ones for the tubas are enroute. Phone: (317) 867-6800. The Westfield High School Bands, under the direction of Vitale and Sindorf, are three-time Band of America regional finalists, repeated New Jersey State Gala participants, and an invitee to the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. A junior high school band director from Anaheim molested eight students from the 1970s to the 1990s, forcing one girl to have two abortions, a lawsuit alleges. Enrollment in the WHS Bands has doubled since his arrival in 2011. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Prior to being at Venice High School, Mr. Lee was interviewed as one of six finalists for the Band Officer position of the United States Air Force Band. . (THE WESTFIELD NEWS/AMY PORTER). Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Vitale said there were over 35 letters written on his behalf. Our workshops are taught by university professors and high school band directors. Stay updated with what's happening at Westfield High School with News You Choose Sign Up Now . Mrs. Sarnoff is the Department Chair of the Music Program at Venice High School, where she has been teaching at Venice High School for over 25 years. Chris takes the 2nd assignment VERY seriously. The agenda of the book club is for everyone involved to learn more about themselves, myself included. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Through music we can teach acceptance, empathy, communication, accountability, time management and teamwork, among other things, he says. Gregory Rupert. I was so unbelievably proud that Westfield was recognized on a national stage for music educators all around the country to see.. Having leadthe Mighty Gondolier Marching Band fortwo years at an after school capacity,Mr. Lee has continued his career at Venice High Schoolas full-time Instrumental Music Teacher. Shortly after her 15th birthday, she got pregnant. They appreciate the honest approach and the sense of accomplishment that they feel when they reach their goals is far greater as a result., Every other year, Vitale runs a leadership book club that is open to any student. Westfield plans to award a band scholarship in her name, and donations payable to Westfield High School Music Boosters Club may be sent to the school at 4700 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, VA 20151. Yamaha reported in a written statement that hundreds of nominations were received by students, parents, teachers, and local instrument dealers and mentors, highlighting the music educators impacting their community and students in a positive direction.. Click on any of the icons below to follow our social media accounts! 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