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Raising the bar and the baton
By MICHELE MILLER, Times Staff Writer BAYONET POINT -- Annette Greive has waved the baton for 26 years now and has loved every minute of it. The last 12 have been spent at Bayonet Point Middle School, where she's had the thrill of watching students who have never played an instrument work their way from Mary Had a Little Lamb to a Mozart concerto. During her tenure she has taken her young musicians to perform at various venues throughout the community and the state. Twice she has has been named teacher of the year at Bayonet Point Middle School. Twice she has been honored with the Florida Bandmaster's Award. Last year her band earned national recognition as winner on the How Cool is Your School Competition at the Music Educator's National Conference. She has also been selected to serve as a middle school All-County Band director for Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Now Greive, 52, has been chosen by her peers to conduct seventh- and eighth-grade students in the Florida All-State Symphonic Band. "I feel like I've been working toward this throughout my career, and this is a pinnacle," Greive said. "I'm so honored for this opportunity. These are the most outstanding and serious seventh- and eighth-grade band students from throughout the state." Kathleen Sanz, the supervisor of Curriculum and Instructional Services for the Arts for the Pasco County Schools, echoed her sentiments. "There's a high expectation for the conductor of any of the All-State Bands, so this is an incredible honor," Sanz said. "This is the first time a Pasco County band director has been selected for All-State in the 17 years I've been here. It's a wonderful opportunity for her and also something she's most deserving of. She's a leader in the district as far as writing curriculum. She's been a mentor for beginning band directors. She's someone other band directors call upon for her expertise." Greive, whose primary instrument is the clarinet -- "but I play trumpet for fun," she said -- spent her summer selecting the music for the concert, which will be held Jan. 11 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. "It was a very fun project, I'll tell you that," Greive said with a grin. Her picks? An introspective piece called In a Gentle Rain, a spiritual titled Walls of Zion, a woodwind feature, Shenandoah, Fan Fare and a march called Prestissimo, which means "to be played as fast as possible." "These are all challenging pieces -- all high school level pieces," Greive said. "I wanted a balanced program, something that would appeal to the students, parents and the band directors who would be sitting in the audience." Students who try out for All-State Band will audition Sept. 14 by submitting tapes of their performances. Those tapes will then be sent to music professors and band directors throughout Florida. The blind audition is a long, arduous process, Greive said."No one knows who the student is or what school they come from," she said. "One person will listen to over 200 clarinet players playing the same piece, all vying for just 15 spots." While those who make All-State will be given the music to practice on their own ahead of time, there will be just three rehearsals before the 100-member band plays for the concert. "It's intense but exhilarating, too," Greive said. Especially when members of your own school band make the grade. "At All-County or All-State when you look out and see someone wearing the uniform from your school -- it's just extremely rewarding," Greive said. This year seven Bayonet Point Middle students will be auditioning for a spot. "Every year we have one, two or three who make All-State," Greive said. From now until January, Greive will be spending the bulk of her time studying the scores for the concert. "As a director you have to know all the parts to all of the music for all of the instruments. You have to know all the music intimately." In doing that, Greive hopes to leave all members of this year's All-State Band with something she felt years ago while playing clarinet in her own high school band. "We were playing Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral, by Wagner," Greive said, "It was an aesthetic experience. It just went together perfectly. We were all playing music -- not just notes and rhythms. I get goosebumps just remembering that. I want to take the kids to that place."
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From today's Pasco Times Editorial Letters Letters |
