In his letter, he notes that Vitalevoluntarily hosts a well-attended book club before school for any student interested in strengthening their leadership skills. Granite Bay. Venice High School's Band Director, Mr. Lee hails from a small suburban town in South Jersey. Anti-Bullying Coordinator. Message. He had explained to me thats what happened when people are in love and that he loved me, she said. I think weve been fortunate to maintain as many kids in our program as we have. Have a news tip? Prior to coming to Westfield High School Mr. Vitale served as a high school band director in Fairfax County, Virginia. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR & ELEMENTARY DIRECTOR, music/visual instructor & middle school director, MUSIC/VISUAL INSTRUCTOR & MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR, Copyright 2022 Westfield High School Bands. 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. 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. Junior Jimmy Krupienski plays with a new PPE bell cover on his trumpet. I was so unbelievably proud that Westfield was recognized on a national stage for music educators all around the country to see.. Vitale, who is in his 10th year with Westfield Public Schools and 15th year as a high school band director, says he was extremely surprised and honored to receive the recognition. Mr. Lee sang with the NEC Chamber Singers and Concert Choir and regularly performed in the Undergraduate Opera Scenes program and Graduate Opera productions. More than 70 high school bands joined the non-profit organization in its first year. "I think our main focus was just on trying to keep the kids connected," Vitale said. In his letter, he noted that Vitale voluntarily hosts a well-attended book club before school for any student interested in strengthening their leadership skills. Contact Form. "A big part of what we provide in high school band is a social network for the kids.". Music Director. Chris Vitale - Westfield High School Band Director; Anticipated Cost. 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 were slowly edging back towards some sense of normalcy, he said.Kennedy said the numbers of students taking band are lower at WHS than they ever have been. We have a fantastic team of dedicated educators working together to drive the organization forward, including my co-president Erik Lynch [from Verona High School]., Copyright 2023 Yamaha Corporation of America and Yamaha Corporation. Cerritos. West Springfield High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, at 6100 Rolling Road, and is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. 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. 1000 character (s) remaining. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. "I lost probably 25 kids. Who can participate? Band Director: Andrew Muth. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Westfield Band Boosters are grateful for the crafters and shoppers who participated in the Outdoor Event on October 10, 2020. 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. Carney urged any additional victims to contact him. Elgas told The Times that his students dont know how good they can be. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Mr. Lee has attended the European American Musical Alliance Conducting Program in Paris, France arenowned composition-drivenprogram drawing from the pedagogical tradition of Nadia Boulanger. This proves to them that if we work together and work very hard, success will come.. I think theyll come back once things change. WESTFIELD, NJ Westfield High School band director Christopher Vitale was recognized among 40 "outstanding music directors" all under the age of 40 for his achievements in enhancing the. 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.. 18250 N. Union Street. New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association. The Marching.com links directory lists websites related to high school marching bands, college bands, 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Vitale explained that there is a communal aspect of making music with other people that is not something students get in other academic subjects. He said the younger music instructors in the district have been helping him with all of the transitions. 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. Chris takes the 2nd assignment VERY seriously. 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. 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. Back to Departments. WESTFIELD, NJ Westfield High School band director Christopher Vitale was recognized among 40 "outstanding music directors" all under the age of 40 for his . "I was extremely surprised," Vitale said. Your Name. Itinerant Music, Strings, Teacher . Vitale is also a leader throughout the state and helped start the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association (NJMBDA). 18250 N. Union Street. We can all agree that band directing is equal parts music education and life education, Sindorf writes. Luckily, Vitale said this year has been "pretty normal" and that the students have been extremely resilient through all of it. "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.. Westfield HS Band, Chantilly, Virginia. Shortly after her 15th birthday, she got pregnant. Self-reflection and self-improvement have superseded competition. The funds would come from School Choice, [] A spokesperson for the school district declined to comment, citing the litigation. Mr. Winson began his career in Fort Bend ISD as the assistant director of bands at . She had not told her parents about the pregnancies, though they eventually tracked her down. . Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band (California State University, Fresno) Fresno. Band Boosters Charms Office Suite Questions? Each year, these groups perform at concerts, adjudicated festivals, and various civic occasions. Westfield High School Bands Band Director: Andrew Muth 18250 N. Union Street Westfield, IN 46074 Phone: (317) 867-6800Fax: (317) 867-2909 Get Connected! The marching band is open to any student in grades 9-12. He is invested in his students well-being far more than any band director I know.. Have a news tip? Gahr High School Marching Gladiators. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS/AMY PORTER). The final time, in 1983, she had the baby, but he died seven days later, the lawsuit said. 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. 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., Westfield Public Schools302 Elm StreetWestfield, NJ 07090Phone: (908) 789-4400, Falynn Balassone We meet every day, and are experimenting with using the computer to broadcast the music in the room, and have the kids play along at home, Kennedy said. The Westfield Band Boosters cordially invite you to apply to our 13th Annual Holiday Craft Show to be held on Saturday, November 20th, 2021. There are hand sanitizers in the classrooms and extra masks. We can all agree that band directing is equal parts music education and life education, Sindorf wrote. A strong proponent for musical enrichment in the community, he was deeply involved with the UCLAMusic Performance and Education Outreach Program. In 1998, he took the Sycamore Junior High band to Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to perform as the opening act for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Performance credits include studio and motion picture work with LA Master Chorale and Pacific Chorale. They are: Nolan Daly, 11th grade, Trumpet, All-State Symphonic Band . Elgas family members could not be reached for comment. More than 70 high school bands joined the non-profit organization in its first year. To support the claim that school officials should have protected the girls from Elgas, the lawsuit cites other Anaheim Union teachers who were convicted of molesting their students. "I was extremely surprised," Vitale said. In October 1983, she gave birth to a boy, naming him Richard after his father. Its a great way to keep organized old dog, new tricks, Kennedy, who is sporting a white ponytail, said.Due to COVID regulations, wind and brass band members have to be ten feet apart; drums and piano six feet apart, which means finding a spot indoors where they all fit. The kids certainly do try. Besides directing the many ensembles at WHS which include three concert bands, two jazz bands, two percussion ensembles, two winter color guards and the marching band Vitale also co-founded the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association in 2020. 18250 N. Union Street . Elgas does not appear to have been criminally charged. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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 alleged abuse occurred while Elgas taught at Fremont and Sycamore junior high schools and ranged from sexually harassing students to having years-long sexual relationships with girls, who were 12 or 13 years old when the abuse started, according to the suit. "Through music, we can teach acceptance, empathy, communication, accountability, time management and teamwork," Vitale said. The band director, who is in his tenth year at Westfield High School, was named to the "40 Under 40" Music Advocacy Program after several of his colleagues and students sent in letters of support of his nomination. "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. 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. The nonprofit NJMBDA had over 70 high school bands join in its first year. The kids have been great in wearing the masks, and staying socially distanced. Vitale said there were over 35 letters written on his behalf. The club reads Stephen Coveys The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People over the course of several months and meets before school every few weeks to discuss various topics covered in the book. Donations can be made by check made out to WHSBPA (Westfield High School Band Parents Association) and sent to the attention of Chris Vitale, Director of Bands, at 550 Dorian Road, Westfield, NJ 07090 or by donating online. He died in 2017, according to the Orange County Coroner Division. 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. At the Oct. 15 football game against Minnechaug at Bullens Field, which the Bombers won 13 to 0, the band couldn't wait to get to halftime. Elgas was a well-known band director in Orange County. . "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. Westfield, IN 46074. 871 likes. Vitale said the organization provides competitive marching band shows throughout every region of New Jersey. The Westfield Bands have given performance tours of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Italy. The band director, who is in his tenth year at Westfield High School, was named to the "40 Under 40" Music Advocacy Program after several of his colleagues and students sent in letters of support of his nomination. He described Vitale as an extremely dedicated teacher who is invested in the success of his students. For so long, he was treated like this venerated figure.. Two of the districts high school band directors, Alex Delao and Jeffrey William Plum, were convicted of molesting students in the 1980s. E-mail: hoff@lausd.net or patrickmhoff@gmail.com Subject: BAND. Each time we run the club I learn from my students, which I find very fulfilling!, Vitale views high school band as a vehicle to build good humans. Kennedy said the numbers of students taking band are lower at WHS than they ever have been. Mr. Lee received a Master of Music degree in Conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lai is an undergraduate student at Columbia University studying political science and serves as the news editor for her student paper, the Columbia Daily Spectator. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS/AMY PORTER). WHS Band Director Patrick Kennedy is learning new tricks. A bit aways from his hometown, his musical endeavors have taken him across the globe, but now have landed him in Los Angeles. 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. In class, Elgas sometimes dimmed the lights and pushed boys and girls together to force them to kiss, she said. FAX: (323) 936-8455. I was so unbelievably proud that Westfield was recognized on a national stage for music educators all around the country to see.". 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.. 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, says Thomas Weber, Supervisor of K-12 Visual and Performing Arts. When they do well, I tell them and when they dont, I dont shy away from making that known. The Westfield High School band director was recognized by Yamaha for his achievements as an educator and growing the WHS music program. We look forward to growing in 2022 as an organization run by directors focused on providing world-class adjudication at a low price, Vitale says. Fax: (317) 867-2909. At WHS, he meets with anywhere from 10 to 30 students at a time. Chris takes the 2nd assignment VERY seriously. Enrollment in the WHS Bands has doubled since his arrival in 2011. The Westfield HS Marching Bulldogs of Chantilly, VA - a 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade band Great Oak High School Marching Band. The baby had a birth defect and died a week later. "I did not see this coming at all.". Westfield High School Band co-director Trevor Sindorf was among a number of people who wrote letters of recommendation in support of Vitales nomination. He said the jazz band, which is anywhere from 10 to 20 students, can fit in the practice room together.In some ways this has allowed us to evaluate what we do and who we are, he said.Kennedy acknowledged that all of the moving parts have slowed down how much material they can cover, and they havent been allowed to schedule any performances. We still have 70-something kids thats not a terrible number, he said.The WHS students are never all in one place at a time. Contact Band Director, Andrew Muth at mutha@wws.k12.in.us Follow Us: Westfield High School 18250 N Union Street Westfield IN 46074 Phone: (317) 867-6800 Fax: (317) 867-2909 Hailing from Temecula, she previously covered Riverside County and the Inland Empire and is now focused on Orange County. The lawsuit was filed in June by four plaintiffs and amended on Monday to include four additional victims, said Michael Carney, an attorney representing the eight women. 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