Mrs. Brand…

She’s back after a year of helping her husband, Mr. Brand settle into his new job at Creekside Jr. High. During the 2016-2017 school year, it became evident that assuming Ms. Cavazos could just suddenly take over EVERYTHING (teaching, fundraising.. etc.) was unfair. It was an overwhelming amount of work for the band director alone but now that Mrs. Brand is back,  she is allowing Ms. Cavazos to concentrate on music and the direction of the band. There is really no way to describe just how much both Mrs. Brand and Ms. Cavazos do for our high school band.

Hayley Spadafore and myself, Hannah Padron recently sat down with Mrs. Brand to discuss her origins, the marching band, and what she is passionate about.

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H.P: Okay first question. Where were you born and what was your favorite food growing up?

B:  I was born in Brooklyn, New York… And I think my favorite food growing up was my mother’s plantain, (bananas). She’d cut them up and fry them and sprinkle a little sugar over them… and that was the only time we’d be able to eat sugar- [laughs]

H.P: What first brought you to Los Banos?

B: Mr. Brand! He applied for a job here and wanted to live closer to where he worked.

H.P: You once told me that you play the violin, do you still play that or any other instrument?

B: I play, but haven’t played in a little while… and I intend to start playing again. It’s such a relaxing thing to do. I started when I was in elementary school… I think I was eight?

H.P: Any other instruments?

B: I’ve dabbled with the piano, but that’s it… [laughs]

H.P: Do you have a favorite part of the arts? ( theater, fine art? etc..)

B: Oh, drama! I was in a orchestra for many years and we did a lot of musicals so I’m crazy for musicals.

H.P: So are we! (Hannah & Hayley) [laughs]

B: I used to make my kids watch musicals.. even when I coached soccer, I would host bonding nights and we’d all watch musicals… If not the Princess Bride, [laughs] – I went to an art high school, and we did a lot of really neat musicals.

H.P: Why doesn’t the band play the music for the school plays?

B: That’s a very good question – I used to work for Turlock Christian for years. I just recently left a couple of years ago. Mr. Brand would even play in the productions, but I’m not really sure why our band doesn’t play. We have an upcoming play at Creekside and we’re going to use the choir though- very exciting.

H.P: What’s your favorite movie and why?

B: oh… that’s a hard one..

H.P: Well, what movie never fails to make you happy?

B: I think The Princess Bride, because I used to watch it all the time-

It just has everything in it! My mother spent six weeks with each sister, there were five of us, and before she died and that’s the movie my mom watched over and over when it was her turn to visit me. She watched it everyday. I said, “Mom, you can’t watch this anymore, you just can’t.”

And I’d tell her to go tell the girls a story instead, and she started saying, “once there was a farm boy-” (retelling the movie) [laughs] – and at her funeral, even though we didn’t plan it – each of us (sisters)  brought a copy to put in her casket…

H.P & H.S: awe…

H.P: What compelled you to return to our high school?

B: Danielle (Mrs. Cavazos) asked me to come help! Initially I said “…no.”  [laughs]

She had said that she needed some help and asked if I could come back… This is a really hard job. (being band director) I was Mr. Brand’s assistant while I was here, so a lot the stuff that I did, that was stuff that he didn’t do, and I don’t think anyone realized it was me doing the things that he couldn’t do.

H.P: Last year was a transition year, so it was especially hard for us upperclassmen that were so used to organization from the previous year…

S.B: It tends to become very overwhelming for the the band director because of the fact that they’re teaching three separate classes. Mr. Brand will occasionally come in and help out a bit, but it can still tend to be very overwhelming.

H.P: Having you back is a HUGE relief to everyone in the organization.

S.B: I’m glad! [laughs]

Upcoming Events:

Tri-Tip Dinner fundraiser: This Sunday, 8/28

Pitman Band Review in Turlock, CA: 9/30

OLF Parade: 10/8

Cupertino Tournament of Bands: 10/14

Santa Cruz Band Review: 10/21

Veterans Day Parade: 11/4

Central California Band Review; Merced, CA: 11/11

Christmas Parade: 12/1