The city’s outstanding music programs began at the old Ann Arbor High.

by Daryl Hurst

garet Cooley’s “Purple and White” to music, giving he old Ann Arbor High School is Ann Arbor High its alma mater. (Moore later com- coming down. But while its bricks posed “Push On,” the school fight song.) And during and mortar meet the wrecking ball this summer, the school’s spirit lives on in the 1913–1914 school year, the first instrumental en- the band program that was born at the semble of strictly wind and percussion instruments— cTorner of State and Huron. Among the stories that what we identify as a band—was formed at Ann Ar- will last beyond the crumbled walls, perhaps the his- bor High. No doubt it was modeled on popular bands tory of the band best captures the pioneer spirit of the of the day like Sousa’s and the local Otto’s Band. school. The 1914 Omega yearbook credits principal W. According to Verne Collins’s 1965 U-M doctoral Merton Aikin with leading the call for players. Eigh- dissertation “Music in Ann Arbor High School,” “the teen boys were selected, and the new band made its individual who was most influential in establishing first appearance at the Muskegon football game that and supporting music in the high school was Henry fall. “The Band, one of the many things which go to Simmons Frieze.” How appropriate, then, that when make our school stand head and shoulders above all the U-M acquired the former Ann Arbor High in others, is one of the many new organizations which 1955, it renamed the building after Frieze, a arose out of Mr. Aikin’s ingenious head, during the nineteenth-century professor and acting president of past year,” the Omega boasted. A picture of the musi- the university. Largely because of Frieze’s vision and cians on the front steps of Ann Arbor High commem- efforts, one of the nation’s premier high school music orates that pioneering group of bandsmen. programs was born within those walls. The band formed again in the 1914– Hired in 1854 as chair of the Latin department, 1915 school year. It marched at football games and Frieze also had a passion for music. A former church the city’s Thanksgiving Day parade and presented a organist, he was instrumental in the formation of joint concert in the spring with the orchestra and glee both the Choral Union and the School of Music, club. Perhaps derailed by the United States’ entry into which at first was an independent entity connected World War I, however, the band then disappeared for with both the university and Ann Arbor High. another decade. Music was part of the curriculum when Ann Ar- It would take a visionary man to redefine the band bor opened one of the nation’s first high schools in and make it a permanent fixture at Ann Arbor High 1856, but over the school’s first fifty years, the bat- School. That man was Joe Maddy, who went on to tles of academics versus arts ensured that music found the world-famous National Music Camp at In- courses never stayed in place very long. Music in- terlochen, and who today is considered by many to struction usually took the form of singing or piano, be the father of instrumental music in the public leaving instrumental ensembles to be formed by stu- schools of America. dents as extracurriculars. The first was a banjo club in 1892, followed by a mandolin club in 1895. What could be considered the first orchestra at Ann Arbor addy was called to Ann Arbor in High also came together in 1895, but like its succes- the fall of 1924 by Earl Moore, sors over the next several years, it was more of a who had just become head of the dance band and usually had more winds than strings. School of Music. With thrifty in- When a spectacular New Year’s Eve fire con- genuity, Moore arranged for Mad- sumed the school building in 1904, classes were dyM to work half time as head of music education at forced to meet in community buildings, and the for- the U-M and half time as music supervisor in the mation of music ensembles stalled. But when a new Ann Arbor Public Schools. Maddy’s enthusiasm and (Above) Ann Arbor High’s first band, 1914. (Middle) and better Ann Arbor High School opened in 1907, vision for advancing music education would find fer- The band in full regalia, complete with drum major, school life resumed quickly, and student music tile ground in Ann Arbor. mascot, and majorette, in 1935. (Top) Prospective mem- groups re-formed. In his three years at Ann Arbor High, Maddy re- bers of the band, class of 2014, re-create the original Meanwhile, music was flourishing at the U-M, assembled the band and orchestra. An innovative in- photo at the soon-to-be-demolished Frieze Building. much to the benefit of nearby Ann Arbor High. In structor, he established the early traditions of musical 1914 Earl V. Moore of the School of Music set Mar- excellence at the school. Maddy was also a good pro-

PHOTOS: TOP, COURTESY HOWARD SAULLES; OTHER TWO, COURTESY ANN ARBOR HIGH BAND ARCHIVES June 2006 ANN ARBOR OBSERVER 1 the band program’s traditions, high stan- under Champion, membership dropped to asked Joe Maddy for permission to take dards, and strong esprit de corps. Champi- thirty-seven under new director E. Rollin Ann Arbor High’s band to Interlochen for on expanded the band program, oversaw Silfies. Silfies introduced new formations a week of “band camp” in late August. the admittance of the first female musi- to the marching band, but after his first Maddy was reluctant at first, but the expe- cians, and gave the marching band a snap- year the orchestra was handed over to the rience turned out to be good for everyone. continued py military style. He worked to make the newly hired Elizabeth Green, who would This was likely the first high school band band a strong concert ensemble, adding in- rebuild the program into the first-rate insti- camp of its size and scope in the nation. moter, persuading the administration to struments not used in marching like the tution that we still enjoy today. Between This August will mark the fifty-ninth an- provide funds for instruments and working oboe, the bassoon, and the alto and bass the war and bad weather that limited the nual band camp for Ann Arbor high school with the local Rotary Club to purchase new clarinet. Champion also started band pro- band’s appearances at football games, it students, who will live in the same cabins, uniforms. Because of confusion with the grams in the elementary and junior high seems that Silfies’s second year was even hold social events in the same lodge, and school administration over course defini- schools. less successful; he left Ann Arbor at the rehearse in the same hall as generations tions, academic credits, and scheduling, Under Champion the students present- end of the 1942–1943 school year. before them. however, the band and orchestra were ed the first “Band Frolic,” which included Charles M. Yates, the director for the made up of the same students, who would several novelty acts along with the stan- next three years, seemed to regain some simply play different instruments on differ- dard concert music. After a few years, this ground in student numbers and in the con- ithin a few years af- ent days. gave way to a more formal performance, cert performance level of the band, which ter World War II, The influence of Joe Maddy and Inter- which continues to this day in the form of even participated in the U-M May Festival Ann Arbor’s school lochen on the world of high school music the high schools’ Winter Band Concert. at Hill Auditorium. For reasons that are trustees began to is legendary, but not everybody appreciat- Champion had also taken over the direc- unclear, however, Yates left at the end of plan for a new, larger ed his groundbreaking work. In his book tion of the orchestra in 1930, but whether the 1945–1946 school year. highW school to accommodate the baby Interlochen: A Home for the Arts, Dean his style or other circumstances were to After Yates left, superintendent Haisley boom. In a land swap between the U-M Boal relates how Ann Arbor school super- blame, orchestra membership dwindled convinced former colleague Clarence Roth and the public schools, the high school intendent Otto Haisley, hired the same until the band was twice its size. He must to come to Ann Arbor and take over the in- gave up its home at State and Huron and year as Maddy, grew increasingly frustrat- have been a capable orchestral conductor, strumental music programs. Haisley’s first on the Wines athletic field for a new cam- charge to Roth was to get new uniforms pus on the large parcel of land diagonally for the band; the old ones from Champi- across from Michigan Stadium. Roth on’s time were faded and worn. Roth put helped design a tiered band room, practice together the first “Bands in Review” con- rooms, and a spacious auditorium for the cert in 1947 as a fund-raiser. The uniform new high school. The band moved into its salesman convinced new home at Main Roth that purple dye and Stadium in April didn’t hold up, so the When Ann Arbor High 1956 with the rest of new uniforms were the students, faculty, maroon with gold was split into Huron and staff. It soon es- piping. While later and Pioneer, the band tablished the annual generations of band Picnic Pops concert members would ridi- program also divided on the front lawn of cule this choice of into two—and both the new building. colors, Roth and his have thrived, winning At the new school, band wore their the bands saw un- spiffy new uniforms national recognition by precedented growth with pride. music educators and and success under an- Roth brought other series of excel- Director Joe Maddy lost his job when superintendent Otto Haisley back Bands in Re- adjudicators. lent directors. When thought he was devoting too much time to the National Music Camp at view in 1950 and Ann Arbor High was Interlochen. Now band camp at Interlochen is a cherished tradition. made it a permanent institution in the Ann split into Huron and Pioneer, the band Arbor Public Schools, featuring all the dis- program also divided into two—and both ed with his employee’s new venture in however, as he also directed the Ann Ar- trict’s middle school and high school have thrived, winning national recogni- northern Michigan. Haisley called Maddy bor Symphony Orchestra from 1933 to bands. The same year, Roth began taking tion by music educators and adjudicators. “a crazy damn fool” for undertaking “a 1941. the high school band to state competitions, The Grammy Foundation has designated fool project like the camp” and fired him where it consistently received first-divi- both Huron and Pioneer as Signature from the public schools. (Maddy’s own sion ratings. In the postwar boom, Huron Schools several times in recent years, version, as told to Verne Collins, was that he tradition of marching and Main streets became business routes placing their overall music programs he resigned so that he could devote more from the high school to the for the new Interstate highway system, so (bands, orchestras, and choruses) among time to Interlochen.) football games was estab- the band marched to Friday night football the top few dozen in the country. Earlier After Maddy’s departure the band and lished during Champion’s games down State to Hill and west to this year the foundation named Pioneer its orchestra became more distinct, with dif- tenure. Local radio personal- Wines Field, with the school victory bell National Signature School—number one ferent conductors, different rehearsal times, ityT Ted Heusel, who played trombone in the carried up front. nationwide. and different members. But in a reprise of band in the 1930s, recalls that the musicians Roth exposed the band to new music, It was a fitting tribute to the band pro- Maddy’s double duty, Nicholas Falcone, would march down Huron and Main streets new bandleaders, and new experiences. gram at old Ann Arbor High, which estab- the newly hired director of bands at the to Wines Field (now Elbel Field on Hill Roth had met the U-M’s Bill Revelli years lished the foundations for the long-term U-M, also directed the band at Ann Arbor Street, where the Michigan Marching Band earlier, and in 1946 Revelli’s office and the success and excellence of music in the High for the 1927–1928 school year. This practices). Heusel remembers how deli- rehearsal space for the Michigan Marching Ann Arbor Public Schools. Henry Frieze was the same year that Michigan Stadium ciously distracting the smell wafting from Band were moved into Harris Hall, kitty- himself would have been proud to know opened, and Falcone was busy introducing Quality Bakery was as the band passed by corner across from the high school. Revelli that in a building that later carried his military-style drill into the Michigan its building on Main near William, where had frequent contact with the high school name, nationally renowned band programs Marching Band’s on-field performances. Palio restaurant is now. Champion also in- band, and invited it to participate in the would be born. I He soon found that his work at the U-M stituted the “AA” formation on the field, first Band Day at Michigan Stadium in consumed all his time, so he did not con- which continued until 1969, when the divi- 1951. Under Roth the band also began to This article is based on research for the tinue in the high school position. Falcone sion of the school into Pioneer and Huron tour, performing at International Lions Centennial Project. Initiated by Daryl remained at the U-M for several more high schools forced a change to separate Club conventions in Chicago, New York Hurst to commemorate the history of Ann years, but was forced to resign by a tragic “P” and “H” formations. City, and Miami in 1953–1956. In 1956 the Arbor’s high school band program, the hearing loss; he was succeeded by the leg- Champion, an officer in the naval re- Ann Arbor High School Band hosted na- project is expected to culminate in a cen- endary bandleader William Revelli. serves, was called to active duty in 1941. tionally renowned conductor Paul Lavalle tennial celebration on the band’s 100th Falcone’s successor at Ann Arbor High, Once again, the world at war seems to in a special concert at Hill Auditorium. anniversary in 2014. Hurst can be reached William Champion, was the first of many have affected the number of students in- In 1948 Clarence Roth started one of at [email protected] or long-serving directors, all of whom built volved in band: from a high of fifty-eight the band’s most cherished traditions: he (734) 663–6306.

PHOTO COURTESY INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 2 ANN ARBOR OBSERVER June 2006