Feb. 09 - Mr. Jackson wins National Mr. Holand's Opus Award

Allegany band director one of five to earn national honor
Kristin Harty
Cumberland Times-News


February 14, 2009 11:25 pm

— CUMBERLAND — Larry Jackson resembles Richard Dreyfus ever so slightly — small in stature, bespectacled, intense and mildly distracted, as though he hears a constant stream of music in his head.
Dreyfus, you’ll remember, played Mr. Holland in the 1995 movie, “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” the story of a wanna-be-famous composer who takes a job as a high school band director just to pay the rent.
Jackson, Allegany High School’s band director for the last 15 years, found the movie a bit “Hollywoodish,” but the story itself authentic.
In the movie, Mr. Holland finds fulfillment by instilling a love of music in his students, devoting “time, energy and talent beyond what is expected of music teachers.”
Jackson, who directs Allegany’s marching, concert and jazz bands, has some of those same qualities, a national foundation has determined.
He’s one of five band directors from across the country being honored with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Award, a prestigious honor that includes a $10,000 prize.
“Especially in music, I think you do affect people’s lives in a unique way,” said Jackson, who learned he’d won the award early last week. “I’m humbled they would think of me.”
A native of Allegany County, he graduated from Frankfort High School in West Virginia, and received his music education degree at West Virginia University before getting an MBA at Frostburg State University. He taught in Garrett County and at Westmar High School before coming to AHS in 1994.
The Opus Foundation became aware of Jackson after Allegany’s Band Boosters President Ray Short tooted Jackson’s horn after applying for an instrument grant. Short contacted Allegany County’s own William H. Macy, who played Vice Principal Wolbert in the film.
“I guess Macy contacted the foundation to make sure they were aware of us,” said Jackson, who didn’t know that a team from the foundation had visited in October to observe him.
What the team saw was something like this:
“Band, sit up straight,” Jackson said during concert band rehearsal Thursday, his baton raised, ready to conduct.
Students quieted down for warm-up scales and arpeggios.
Before starting “The Great Locomotive Chase,” Jackson explained some complicated rhythms to the percussion section.
“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Jackson said. “To the listener the effect is dum.....dum....dum...dum..dum.dum dumdum. When it goes to eighth notes it’s not going to double in time, it’s just going to get a little faster. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes,” snare drummer Vince Monteleone said.
“You guys, you just have to watch and count,” Jackson said, counting off. “One, two, this-is-strange, and —”
Cody Toothaker swept his finger across the wind chimes, creating a dreamy, ghostlike sound.
“Hey Cody, awesome job on the wind chimes, dude,” Jackson said at a break. “Maybe not so loud.”
A trumpet player as a youth, Jackson knew he wanted to be a band director starting in about the seventh grade. The Allegany concert band has about 80 players.
“He spends countless hours outside of the regular school day to ensure that the students in his charge reach their maximum potential,” said AHS Principal Mike Calhoun.
Students praise him.
“He’s made the Allegany band program, like, really good,” said Matthew Haworth, a senior saxophone player who’s been in band all four years. “That feeling that you’re part of something that’s really, really good is a good feeling.”
“He’s the bomb,” Monteleone said, adding that students often eat lunch with Jackson in the cafeteria. “You can talk to him about anything. He’s more like a friend than a band director. ... He’s broadened a lot of people’s horizons as far as music is concerned.”
Jackson will receive the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Award April 3 at Carnegie Hall in New York. The band received the original instrument grant through the Foundation — two concert tubas and two piccolos. But Jackson said he hasn’t thought about how to spend the $10,000 cash prize.
“It’s expensive to run a band program,” Jackson said. “Believe me, I could spend it in about two seconds.”
Contact Kristin Harty at kharty@times-news.com.

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Photos


Allegany High School band director Larry Jackson directs band members during rehearsal Thursday at the school in Cumberland. Jackson is one of five band directors from across the country being honored with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Award, a prestigious honor that includes a $10,000 prize.