Brian Sandwisch, the new Band Director at Paulding High School, preps his students for the upcoming marching season during band camp this August.
It’s a little hot and muggy when I walk into the empty band room at PHS. A young lady follows me in on Thursday night. Stephanie Habern turns around and says she doesn’t know where anyone else is. I looked down at my iOS device to see the time and realized I got there a little early. Stephanie is a sophomore at Paulding. She says she was there when they went to state last year. She loves band. More people started walking in. I look over to the classroom door and see a young man who looks like he might be in charge.
Ring, Ring….Ring, Ring. The phone starts ringing less than a month ago attempting to reach Brian Sandwisch. It’s July 15 and only a week until band camp starts. Paulding schools were running out of time to hire a new band director after Don Clark resigned his post. Under the direction of Mr. Clark, the band received a 1st place state rating in the spring of 2015.
Brian answers the phone to find out he has been selected by PEVS if he wants the job. This is the second time he says, “I do”. Of course, the first was to his wife Caryn three years ago.
Right now, Brian is living in Bowling Green but will move here as soon has his apartment is ready.
It was only 2009 when Brian finished high school in Oak Harbor and then again finished college in 2013 from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio where he majored in music. He selected Capital because of the music education and renowned Department Chair and Composer – James Swearingen.
After graduation, Brian moved to Savage, Montana taking his first job. He missed Ohio and when the offer came up he was on it!
“I loved growing up around the lake,” stated Brian. He lived around Lake Erie. His grandparents owned a piece of land called Middlebass Island and loved staying there. The attachment to the sea called him back.
Band camp started as soon as Brian arrived. Luckily, he had good band members in the last graduating class who were more than happy to help him get on his feet here. Camp went well from all the help he got.
Being so young and inexperienced, he found there is a lot to learn. The high school he went to didn’t have band competitions and he wasn’t quite sure what he thought of that. He has realized how much competition is good and he really has made it a part of the curriculum.
Brian loves music, of course you would to take this job, and movie soundtracks. His favorite composer is Charles Ives, an American modernist composer and one of the first of international renown. His favorite movie composer is John Williams or perhaps Alan Silvestri. The idea of using movie soundtracks to encourage young people to like music is not new, and he plans to use this in his 6th Grade General Music class.
Mr. Sandwisch conducting during his first year’s band camp at PHS.
He himself plays instruments including the Saxophone, flute, clarinet, trumpet and the drums.
Brian and the PHS band are still getting ready for the fall football games. We are ready to listen to the band begin their 2015-16 season at Paulding. Welcome to Paulding, Brian! We know the kids are ready to have another great year, and with you at the helm, I’m sure it will be a great season!
