Music Teacher's Journey Hits Another High Note

[SassyMama]

Music teacher's journey hits another high note

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Friday, December 3, 2004.

By JAMES C. LOUGHRIE - Valley Press Staff Writer

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PALMDALE - For his achievement with the Palmdale High music program, Tom Hixon was nominated for the 2005 Bravo awards, given out annually by the Music Center of Los Angeles County to outstanding music teachers. Winners of the awards will be announced at a March 1 gala in Los Angeles. When he became the band director at Palmdale High School, Hixon walked into the middle of chaos, even by a high school marching band's standards.

It was 1994, and the Palmdale High School Marching Band already had been through two band directors that year alone. Michael Hipp was the first, who announced early in the school year that he was leaving for a high school in the Central Valley, and John Bowen, Hipp's replacement, was the second.

Before Hixon, the band had been through four directors in four years. Now, 10 years later, Hixon is still at the school and the program has grown beyond the marching and concert band he first led. The school, under its Visual and Performing Arts Academy umbrella, now boasts an orchestra, a recording studio and jazz and Dixieland bands, in addition to the marching and concert bands.

"It's certainly a moment of pride to be recognized for the work that you do," Hixon told a visitor to his office as the marching band's drumline practiced in the adjoining room. "But as all teachers know, the best and most important pat on the back and sense of gratification is when that child looks you in the eye and says, 'You made a difference in my life. Thank you.' "

Before taking the reins of the music program, Hixon worked for 10 years as a professional musician and as director for the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.

Inspired by his mother, who was a teacher for 30 years, and his own percussion instructor, Hixon said teaching always had been something he thought about doing. After working as a percussionist in everything from classical symphonies to rock bands, Hixon decided it was time to try the teaching gig.

"I knew eventually I was probably going to become a teacher, but it was important for me to become a professional musician so I would have that experience to bring to the classroom," Hixon said.

The nomination for the Bravo is not the first award nod Hixon and the band have received. Hixon also was nominated for the DisneyHand Award given to outstanding teachers. The music program at Palmdale also received distinction as a Grammy Signature School in 2003.

Hixon said he knew the program would be successful, but he just didn't know when.

"After looking back at it, I wasn't sure it was going to happen as fast as it did," he said. "I think because arts education is so underfunded in this Valley in general that to find such support amongst the community and the district for allowing us to do what we wanted to do, that was a pleasant surprise.

"That made the journey a lot more fun."