2008 Woodie Awards
New band director starts drum line
n Liberty High School music teacher, Mark McGuire, is hired as BC's new band director; hopes to reinvigorate struggling program.
Lisa Vargas
Issue date: 11/22/06 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
This fall Bakersfield College hired a new band director, Mark McGuire, who has some interesting plans for the music department.
McGuire has been a band director for over 27 years and has taught at local high schools for over 17 years.
He is currently teaching at Liberty High School in conjunction with working at BC and also conducts the Bakersfield Winds, a semi-professional group.
McGuire is part time at BC but is building up the music program in order to have it ready to be offered to someone for a full-time position.
He said he took the job at BC because he had a really positive experience at the community college he went to. Two weeks ago he started a new drum line at BC.
The first day, 11 people showed up, but by word of mouth 17 showed at the following practice.
McGuire hopes to get the drum line up to par so that they can be playing at BC football games and other school events by next year's fall semester.
Right now the drum line is preparing to appear in the Bakersfield Christmas parade.
In Bakersfield there are not many options for students just graduating from high school who are in band.
With shaping up the program at BC, McGuire hopes to change that, "I want to offer a place for my students at Liberty High School to go to."
He also hopes to do this for students in high functions, such as color guard. The only option for students in color guard is a few independent guards around Bakersfield.
McGuire said he already has a staff lined up for these new fields but needs to figure out a way to fund them.
The BC concert band is getting ready for a performance at the indoor theater on Dec. 14. McGuire is hoping to get the concert band "back up on its feet, so to speak."
McGuire has been a band director for over 27 years and has taught at local high schools for over 17 years.
He is currently teaching at Liberty High School in conjunction with working at BC and also conducts the Bakersfield Winds, a semi-professional group.
McGuire is part time at BC but is building up the music program in order to have it ready to be offered to someone for a full-time position.
He said he took the job at BC because he had a really positive experience at the community college he went to. Two weeks ago he started a new drum line at BC.
The first day, 11 people showed up, but by word of mouth 17 showed at the following practice.
McGuire hopes to get the drum line up to par so that they can be playing at BC football games and other school events by next year's fall semester.
Right now the drum line is preparing to appear in the Bakersfield Christmas parade.
In Bakersfield there are not many options for students just graduating from high school who are in band.
With shaping up the program at BC, McGuire hopes to change that, "I want to offer a place for my students at Liberty High School to go to."
He also hopes to do this for students in high functions, such as color guard. The only option for students in color guard is a few independent guards around Bakersfield.
McGuire said he already has a staff lined up for these new fields but needs to figure out a way to fund them.
The BC concert band is getting ready for a performance at the indoor theater on Dec. 14. McGuire is hoping to get the concert band "back up on its feet, so to speak."
Be the first to comment on this story