by Mary Rupert
Wyandotte High School students are extremely proud to be the first school in the district selected to perform at the June 26 Future Stages Festival at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City, Mo. But the opportunity doesn’t come without hard work.
“It’s an experience. It’s something that doesn’t happen often,” said Jackie Calvillo, a senior at Wyandotte. She is the Wyandotte High School Concert Band’s spokesman.
She said she is looking forward to showing people how much the band has learned and grown throughout the year.
Jessica Centeno, a Wyandotte graduate who played three years in the band, said it means a lot to the students.
“We don’t get as much notice as the other schools,” she said.
There is a feeling on the part of some that because Wyandotte is an urban school, it doesn’t get the same level of recognition as other schools.
“This is a big deal for us. The first USD 500 high school to be recognized to participate at Kauffman,” said band director Osmond Fisher. “These are the opportunities that I fight so hard for.”
Fisher, in his first year as a band director, is trying to urge his students on to greater efforts, and he hopes this festival appearance will inspire them.
“That will encourage our students to keep striving to be great at what they’re doing, to have a sense of accomplishment, that if they continue their discipline and their study, and also have an outlet which is music to enjoy, their opportunities of success increase tenfold,” he said.
“If they put in their time, the reward is gratifying,” he said.
Practicing in the summer
It’s Wednesday morning on summer vacation, and about 16 students are in the Wyandotte High School band room, practicing John Philip Sousa’s “Manhattan Beach.”
Many students are wearing Wyandotte band T-shirts and shorts or jeans, and are giving up their free time to practice. Some students couldn’t be there because of work, babysitting or other commitments.
Band director Fisher conducts the students, keeping time with his baton. The dynamic band director leaves the podium to show the percussionists the correct beat for the 1893 march.
After about an hour or so, the students are playing well together and look as if they are ready for the 2:30 p.m. June 26 concert at the Future Stages Festival at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City, Mo. It will be a 20-minute performance. There are only a couple more rehearsals left, Fisher said.
Fisher noted that not all of the Wyandotte band students will be at the concert because of outside jobs and commitments. A smaller group will perform.
“Attention!” Fisher cries to the students at the end of rehearsal, and they all stand up straight, holding their instruments. He tells them not to leave until he says they can. Then he yells, “Dismissed!” and the students scamper away.
A musical background
Fisher does have a military background, having served a couple of years in the Army as a second lieutenant. He noted that his military service helped him pay for a couple of years of college. But he has many more years in the music field, and more than 18 years of experience teaching.
“I come from a musical family,” he said. “My father, Richard William Fisher, was one of the first African-American band masters of the 101st Airborne Division Band, back in the ‘50s, early ‘60s.” His father was one of the founders of the Benedict College marching band, in the south.
“My mom performed with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra when she was 18 and attended Clark Atlanta College in Atlanta, Ga.,” he said. His parents later were residential artists at the Cleveland Music Institute.
Fisher doesn’t like the stereotypes about urban schools.
“This is a part of my educational growth, part of my professional research, to put into application what I’ve studied, what I’ve researched, in order to help redefine, redevelop our inner-city schools, to break away from the big word of ‘urban,’ “ Fisher said.
He focuses on the school, the community and the students. His priorities are family, community and school.
“I think we can rid a lot of stereotypes of inner city schools,” Fisher said.
He said he makes time with his students to understand their home situation and how they can be successful in the program and still continue to operate on their daily schedule. It’s not always easy for students, as some of them have to work.
“I share with them that I sympathize with them. I understand what they’re going through, and at the same time, if they continue to be part of this program, they’ll see benefits that will improve their lifestyle and it will better them when they graduate from Wyandotte, either going into the work force, armed forces or college,” he said.
The ultimate goal is for them to have a successful and healthy life, and through education, to move them further than the previous generation, and help them improve their lives as well, he said.
“I encourage my students to be greater than me. I push them to be greater than me. I don’t think it’s fair for me to be an educator and have my students on my platform. I want them to create their own platform that will allow them to shine,” Fisher said. “I’m here to guide, mentor, help, but the stage is for them.”
Steadily growing
Fisher is ramping up the band program at Wyandotte. He said the program is steadily growing.
There were 25 band members when he started at Wyandotte last fall, and that has now grown to 65 members, he said. The future holds potential for more members, as about 30 freshmen are expected from Central Middle School and 15 from Northwest, he added.
The band is starting to receive recognition after only one year. The Wyandotte concert band received an excellent rating this year at state competition, Fisher said.
“We also have a new and growing jazz ensemble that received outstanding performances at Penn Valley and the 18th and Vine festival,” he said. It also received outstanding jazz ensemble for high school jazz at the KCK Jazz Summit.
Fisher also has plans for a band camp starting July 13 at Wyandotte, which will practice from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until the first day of school.
There is now an active band booster organization, and he hopes it will be one of the ways that the band can take field trips to perform at festivals.
Fisher proudly mentions the band’s seniors who were awarded scholarships.
Band as a way to go to college
Fisher is helping students to connect with colleges and apply for band scholarships.
Centeno is on a college band scholarship in Arkansas, and said she plans to major in engineering and minor in music.
Calvillo said she has plans for college, but is not sure yet about her career, although she’d like to keep playing her band instrument.
Maria Ponce, a former student of Fisher’s at a Kansas City, Mo., high school, said she was studying music education at Missouri Western and plans to be a music teacher.
Daniel Woodard, another former student of Fisher’s from Kansas City, Mo., said he received a band scholarship, and is currently studying architecture at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo. He credits Fisher with making a difference in his life.
“He brought me in, asked to get a scholarship, and he got me there,” Woodard said.
I saw this group of talented musicians on Sunday. They did GREAT!