Life in the Music Lane - Driving an 'Opus'

 Have you ever seen "Mr. Hollands Opus"?   You know. The movie starring Richard Dreyfus  as a contemporary high school music teacher-band director? If you haven't its OK. But try and bring it up on Netflix or rent it someplace. Its a thoughtful story, episodic in nature about the life of Mr. Every-man Music Guy; his wife, his children, his working journey as an instructor of music, a mentor of the ever darting slippery minds of high-schoolers...male and female...with their problems, their joys and fears and their hormones run a muck.
     I like this movie - charming in its seeming simplicity and I think of my kids band-music teacher at Interlakes High School here in Meredith; a small but robust town in the center of the state.
     Steve Bush is retired now, like myself, but we pass each other in the Facebook hallway every now and then. I admire him for many reasons - his infinite patience most of the time (although I heard from the Locke grapevine there were moments of frustration and broken pencils trying to get the kids  attention, something those who have been around youth understand all too well.
     I thought of  Steve yesterday as I rode in a float in the 250th Meredith Anniversary Parade through town.  I was with several other folk musicians in our local Catholic church mobile device, singing and playing all the spiritual songs with three chords;"When the Saints Go Marching In", "This Little Light of Mine", "They'll Know We Are Christians"[it has a few minor chords] and the ubiquitous "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" from the 40 year old Broadway sizzler "Godspell" who's hip funky music brought more then a few folks back to the church and who's brilliant composer Stephen Schwartz a few decades later gave us "Wicked".

What a lot of moms and dads saw of Mr. Bush

     Anyway as I rode the float, flailing away on my twelve-string guitar and trying to blend in with the good singers with me and ripping my throat out all at the same time (Have you ever tried to sing over a bagpipe band?) I noticed what seemed to be a paucity of marching bands.Of course there was the bagpipers, a slick skirling group from the NH Police Association.
     Pipers have always tugged at my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Probably bought on by my Scots-Celtic blood and a sharp injection of romance when I was born. Somehow when I hear the pipes I am, in my mind, hurled back to Bannock-burn, Culloden, Waterloo, North Africa and a million other places filled with fear and war and tragic glory.
     There seemed to be a smaller High School band this year. This is no reflection on the High School music program or the Elementary School program. But it does seem somewhat sad that the larger bands of my kids has been somewhat less then could be desired.
     Steve and others can remember large band trips, band concerts and so much more, including a jazz band at one time.
     SPOILER  ALERT
     Through the movie we watch Mr. Holland and his struggles with himself, his almost father like concern for his students. His anger at the death of one and the almost unbearable grief at the handicap of one of his own children. The "Serious Music" that at times is just beyond his reach...but which is brought to fruition at the end with his "Opus".
     After all that is the name of the movie.
     We also watch him take a summer job. (Yes, teachers struggle with their income ALL year.) as a driving instructor. I don't know if Steve ever did that.

Me? I think not.

     Sometimes when I look in a mirror I see a "Jaws" era Richard Dreyfus staring back. (Some of my kids and my wife say as a younger man I looked somewhat like him). Well, maybe.
     I think that Steve Bush does not have my inflated ego and hubris, I think he sees who he is.
     A decent, honest man who once taught high school kids how to march,  how to play beautiful music - and how to do it all at the same time. And in tune.
     Here's to you Steve and to all music teachers everywhere retired and those still working. And occasionally breaking a few pencils along the way.