The Bands Visit
An Interview with David Leach and his colleagues
Jason Smith, Robert Ash, Jack Wagner
Maestro David A. Leach is a true Michigander: born, educated, and giving a lifetime of service in music education and life inspiring to the next generations. Speaking with him on the phone is a pleasure, yet seems only a small indicator of what his influence must be like in person. He has spent over 20 years as Director of Bands for the Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, and a portion of that as Chairman of Fine and Performing Arts.
Four of Ann Arbor’s high school bands will be traveling to Carnegie Hall later this month (March 30) for a resplendent showcase: Pioneer, Skyline, Huron (concert bands), and Community (jazz).
Jason Smith, director of the Skyline High band, wants everyone to know “When you go off to college and later on, perhaps when you have a family, and are looking back to your high school years, you might not remember the specific pieces we worked on, but you’ll remember that it was a time to be together in a creative way with some of your best friends. While we’re fortunate that many Ann Arbor parents give their kids a chance to hear jazz and classical music, that isn’t so for every family; therefore, in many cases it’s not only an opportunity to perform together but also the only chance to travel.
Jack Wagner, the conductor of the Community High Jazz Band states: “We in the Community High Jazz Program are excited, humbled, and honored to join our counterparts in the band programs from across Ann Arbor to perform at Carnegie Hall. Many have said ‘jazz is freedom,’ so we look forward to celebrating that on a stage that has featured Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and Benny Goodman.
David Leach radiates positivity and gratitude, constantly reiterating how lucky he and his band programs are to be in a supportive community, one that puts a priority on funding for the arts. Instruments are provided from fifth grade on, if desired or needed, and at least twenty percent of his students continue after high school, majoring in music education or performance.
He stresses the importance of music as a life skill, how it necessarily sharpens listening, cooperation, coordination. Are you listening, America? There are four levels of concert band, so no one needs to feel excluded simply on the basis of where they are in playing ability. Even in some challenging instances of ADHD or autism spectrum, the focus on the musical task at hand in the moment nearly always helps these serious issues fade into the background.
Leach encourages his students to “live in the moment” (good advice for anyone!), and to revel in the physicality of playing their instruments, to remember the “big picture,” and to experience passion through the music. Adolescence for many can be a chaotic, tough transition emotionally, so this channel is even more vital.
After nearly two years of rehearsing via Zoom, everyone is thrilled to be able to make music in person again, though the important lesson “we are all in this together” won’t soon be forgotten. Robert Ash, Director of Bands at Huron High School said: “A lot has been taken away from us in music and the performing arts world over the past two years; to see the students in person and see how and why we perform together is magical. So it’s a great privilege, after not meeting in person as an ensemble for all this time, to connect with students and colleagues across our district and city and to share this with our American community at large at one of the world’s most renowned concert halls.”
One of Mr. Leach’s former students, encountered by chance, went on to become a pediatric oncologist. However, he never forgot a gentle correcting remark made by Leach in high school marching band rehearsal: “hold still, every motion is magnified by the white band gloves.” The doctor retained that necessity for stillness in his medical practice, a valuable asset.
Taking his band to China was a definite highpoint both for Mr. Leach and, of course, the students. He relates: “When everyone meets, they realize that this world isn’t about toxic politics. These are people who express feelings just as we do, and hunger for beauty.”
He humorously referenced a cult-favorite cookie bakery on New York’s upper west side: Levain, a pilgrimage he and his wife plan to repeat this month. Keep feeding your students and audiences beauty, sir, and enjoy a well-earned cookie or two!
