Jim's story for the March 25 Bulletin

 

It was Monday, March 18, 2019, and President Ken Deemer presided over a ballroom filled with student musicians with their parents and teachers.  Ron Sokol kicked things off by telling us Beethoven was a social misfit but an immortal talent—so don’t read a book by its cover…..First we attended to a critical piece of club business:  Celebrate Manhattan Beach.  Debby Arnold urged club members to acknowledge that time is short and to get on with ticket sales, live and silent auction items, and sponsorships…..Loli Ramezani treated us to her annual Happy New Year greeting, with March 20 as the first day of Nowruz (new day), the celebration of the Iranian New Year, wishing us love, beauty, health, patience and prosperity…..President Ken eagerly told us to calendar June 29, his Demotion date.

 

Tim Hageman introduced our annual music program, in which we hear from the local schools’ music competition winners.  We divide them into three age categories—MBMS, Costa Grades 9-10, and Costa Grades 11-12; with two instrument categories, mostly strings and winds.  There were 3 place winners in each classification, resulting in 18 award winners and six first place winners, each of whom performs for us each year (but this year the tuba malfunctioned, so we settled for five performances).

 

MBMS music teacher Denise Haslop welcomed us, together with Costa teacher Peter Park.  Denise told us this all started in 2002, when Dave Harris came to her to ask how our club could help support the schools’ music programs.  We learned that the competition adjudicators were college music professors.  We heard from three violinists, a clarinetist, and an alto saxophonist.  All were knockouts.  (It seems that every year the violinists and woodwinds dominate.) (I guess a bassoon player will never win, any more than a Corgi or Bernese Mountain Dog will ever win Westminster.)

 

Rotary is pretty much a nuts and bolts operation, focused mostly on the practical implementation of service programs.  That may be why this annual music program is a favorite of club members.  For one hour, we get to let our souls soar into the dimension occupied by music and by youthful talent, a dimension in which truth and beauty, and hope for the future, reside.  It reminds us why we make service our mission.