Band director Mr. Wolfe, second from right, with students
For the past six years, Mr. Wolfe has been conducting the Rincon/University High School marching band in everything they did. Friday night football games, concerts and band competitions were among his achievements. The Ranger Band has been extremely successful, even though this position came early in Mr. Wolfe’s career. “It was my first job after graduating from the University of Arizona with my master’s degree,” Mr. Wolfe said. Mr. Wolfe says he first became interested in music when “my parents took me to the mall and I saw the marching band before Santa came.”
“In seventh grade,” says Mr. Wolfe, “I started the trumpet and really enjoyed it so I stuck with it.” Ever since, Mr. Wolfe’s life has had something to do with music.
It was not until this April when Mr. Wolfe discovered he would be leaving the Ranger Band. He told the band his news “after the April concert.” Mr. Wolfe is leaving for Norman, Oklahoma, to attend Oklahoma University and obtain his doctorate in conducting. “With that, I can teach college students to be band directors.” Mr. Wolfe feels that he will extend more influence by acquiring his doctorates. He says 3 percent of his current students continue music. However, when he becomes a teacher who trains aspiring band directors, “there are more people who will teach more students,” he said.
Although Mr. Wolfe is excited about “new experiences and working with college students who are music majors,” he describes the situation of leaving as “bittersweet.” Mr. Wolfe looks back on his time as a band director fondly. His favorite part about directing band was, “working with the students and getting them to enjoy music.” He also appreciated “the different personalities in the group.” One of Mr. Wolfe’s favorite memories was the band’s trip to Carnegie Hall in 2008, he said. He notes that “the kids worked really hard” and that it was great to take “the kids who had never been on a big trip,” or even an airplane. The best part of band for Mr. Wolfe was “a combination of rehearsals and Friday night football,” amongst other things. “The best part is working up to it,” he says.
So where is the band headed without him? Mr. Wolfe is confident in his students. The band is “really strong,” says Mr. Wolfe and there are “great section leaders.” “Ability wise, [the band is doing] really well.” However, Mr. Wolfe says, “everything’s in their hands” when it comes to the future success of the Ranger band. Before he leaves, Mr. Wolfe has a few words of advice for his students: “Do what you love in life. Have fun with what you do, enjoy your work and career and always strive for the highest.”
