The Music Never Died

With a countdown and wave of his baton, Dr. Kevin Andry struck up the band at the year-end Spring Concert at St. Michael the Archangel High School in Baton Rouge on April 27. 

The beautiful and sacred notes of Agnus Dei, performed by the percussion ensemble, opened the concert with sweetness and calm to what has been, for many, a serious and demanding school year. The following selection, “March: The Lion’s Gate” by Ralph Ford, with its sudden blasts of trumpets and wind instruments signaled to an auditorium full of mask-wearing family members sitting socially distanced apart that these band members and their leader had a truly triumphant year.

“There were times when I thought we would never get to playing music this year,” said Andry. “I knew I had to practice what I was preaching so I tried to never let the students know I was starting to lose hope. I put my trust in God and he delivered. No one in my band caught the virus by being exposed to it in band class.”

After Gov. John Bel Edwards began to ease statewide lockdown restrictions, wind instruments remained silent. According to Andry, scientific research revealed aerosols traveled out of the bell of an instrument when it was played. He said research from NAME (National Association of Music Educators) also showed that with bell covers, the aerosols would travel two inches past the bell and because of thermal heating (from breath) would go straight up into the ventilation system. 

The beginning of the 2020-21 school year for band students began with music theory and listening assignments, masks on and six-feet apart. By September, students were able to practice outdoors with bell coverings.

“It was different,” said senior trumpet player Ben Messina. “There was a huge learning curve because we had to learn to play socially distanced.” 

“It was hard to hear each other when we were playing because of social distancing,” said senior Kyla Fox. “Also, it took some getting used to the mask I had to wear while I played my flute.” 

Indoor rehearsals, with safety measures in place, began by mid-September but opportunities to perform were extremely limited.

“Band camp, after-school marching band rehearsals and marching band contests were cancelled for the fall,” said Landry. “We eventually were allowed to perform at four home football games, but because of safety concerns, transportation to and from the games was only provided by parents. Then, as fate would have it, two of those games were rained out.” 

With ever changing protocols and expectations, the students learned the importance of adapting to the circumstances. Senior Camille Hardee said things changed weekly in efforts to keep COVID-19 from spreading among students, faculty and staff. Hardee said social distancing “zapped the fun out of the things that make band fun, like rides to and from football games, sharing meals with our friends before and after games and traveling to festivals.” 

“The biggest challenge was not being able to know and interact with new students,” said Hardee, who plays percussion. “As seniors, we get to help teach new students during band camp and after-school rehearsals during marching season. As a senior, I was looking forward to being able to do this, especially the drum line.”

Andry said students adapted well to varying expectations and credits their resilience with getting through a difficult, changing environment. 

“I have some amazingly talented students,” he said. “The beautiful thing about teaching at a Catholic high school is I can introduce my faith into every class and for every rehearsal or concert we perform. I also focus on the positive, and I don’t dwell on things we cannot control.”

That positive attitude was the perfect antidote to so many disappointments endured throughout the end of the 2019-20 school year and the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Senior Abigail McCurry, a flute player, admitted she couldn’t recall many funny moments but humor did help on occasion.

“Dr. Andry would lighten things up in class to get us to laugh and that kind of helped,” she said. “The lighter moments reminded us that we are still kids and sometimes it’s just fun being a kid.”

“I learned that we have to enjoy every moment we have because you never know when it could be your last. For example, at the end of last year’s marching season, we were looking forward to our senior year to make it the best one ever. We didn’t get to experience a true marching band season this year,” she said. 

Though few and far between, the events the band was able to play were particularly poignant and memorable. Messina said his favorite memory was playing at the Moonlight and Jazz Concert at Chef John Folse’s White Oak Plantation, which was canceled in 2020. McCurry said her favorite event was a jazz ensemble performance in New Roads; Fox said she most enjoyed preparing for the Sacred Chamber recital at St. John Vianney Church in Baton Rouge. All of the concerts were held this spring. 

“I think my favorite memory was during an open house performance when I got caught up in the moment and realized just how good we sounded,” said Jackson Tolbert, a senior trumpet player.

“Music is an important part of the personal development of our students,” said SMHS principal Ellen Lee. “ ‘Doc’ Andry was determined that we would have an outstanding band program despite the pandemic.

“Doc always encourages his band students to use their gifts and talents in service to others and for the greater glory of God.”

The spring concert also offered up some touching moments. Trombone player and vocalist Kasey Williams, also a senior, dedicated a song to his mother who was celebrating a birthday. 

And tuba player Brock Mulhearn took over the keyboard to debut his jazz song, “Cairo,” along with Hector Barraza on bass, Caleb Weise on drums, Messina on trumpet and Antonio Barraza on alto saxophone. Andry also added a song to the lineup that will forever be associated with the past year, “Acronym Blues,” by Doug Beach.

“It’s a big band arrangement that I heard at the previous year’s All-State concert,” said Andry. “I handed them the music on the way out the door last March 13 with the instructions, ‘Prepare to teach remotely for the next 3 to 6 weeks.’ We made a valiant effort to learn individual parts and I even did a remote video of part of the work where students sent in videos of themselves playing their individual part and I edited everything together. It was good, but it was NOTHING like playing together.”

The band’s one final performance scheduled to close out the school year – graduation. It seems fitting note to end this historical, unprecedented year with a celebration. 

And, the 44 students that have made music happen during the past nine months will know that no matter the circumstances, “Doc” Andry and his band will play on.