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Having an impact through music
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| Music lover: Mary Pat Lansing's love of music continues to touch San Pedro Valley residents, so much so the auditorium at St. David School is now known as the Lansing Auditorium. (Adam Bernal/photo.) |
Adam Bernal/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Longtime St. David resident and retired teacher Mary Pat Lansing is continuing to make an impact in the community with her love of music. She was honored for her dedication by having the auditorium at St. David schools named in her honor earlier this year.
Lansing, 77, arrived in St. David in 1953 after graduating from Arizona State University. She was trained as a concert pianist until trouble with her shoulder muscles made her decide to pursue being a band teacher.
Lansing was later asked by J.A. Kartchner, St. David Schools' superintendent, to build a band program in St. David. When she arrived at St. David schools, Lansing was the first woman band director in the state of Arizona.
After learning how talented students in St. David were, Lansing said it was a major factor in making her want to stay and continue to be a part of the community all these years. Many of the students and their parents were musicians and singers, which made the decision to stay that much easier for Lansing.
"That's why I stayed in St. David. I couldn't go anywhere with more talent," Lansing said.
At that time, Lansing acknowledged being a woman band director was tough and said there were times she had to fight simply to have equal opportunities with her students.
"You couldn't be weak and be a band director," Lansing said.
Through her years at the school, Lansing involved the majority of St. David students in both band and choir. At other times in her teaching career, she taught elementary music, world geography, sixth-grade social studies, physical education and even coached high school volleyball.
With the responsibility of heading both the St. David band and choral programs, Lansing said she often had to rotate her band and chorus programs throughout the week to keep student numbers up and get them credit for the classes.
Lansing has been active with music in the community and played a major role in bringing several musical performances to St. David, including the first performance of Handel's "Messiah" and the popular Broadway musical "The Sound of Music."
In 1985, she took the St. David High School band to the Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C. The band, which consisted of only 39 musicians, performed well enough to earn the Spirit of America Award, one of the highest honors in the nation.
At the end of her career in 1986, Lansing had spent 33 years teaching in St. David. The retirement was short-lived with Lansing still continuing to teach music to students and to stay active in the community today.
One of Lansing's students, Glennis Merrill, followed her to teach band and choir at St. David after Lansing retired. The trend continued when Daniel Tenney, one of Merrill's former students, took over the music program at St. David and heads it today.
To honor her longtime dedication to St. David, it was announced at the St. David School and Town Reunion Aug. 29 that the auditorium in the historic school building would now be known as the Mary P. Lansing Auditorium.
Lansing says she was honored to have the auditorium named after her and was thankful to members of the St. David community for everything they've done for her.
"I put on many a program in that auditorium," Lansing said proudly.
With piano lessons and other activities continuing to keep her occupied, Lansing said she is content with her life and everything she has been able to accomplish.
"I've spent my life doing what I wanted to do," Lansing says. "I still enjoy it and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Longtime St. David resident and retired teacher Mary Pat Lansing is continuing to make an impact in the community with her love of music. She was honored for her dedication by having the auditorium at St. David schools named in her honor earlier this year.
Lansing, 77, arrived in St. David in 1953 after graduating from Arizona State University. She was trained as a concert pianist until trouble with her shoulder muscles made her decide to pursue being a band teacher.
Lansing was later asked by J.A. Kartchner, St. David Schools' superintendent, to build a band program in St. David. When she arrived at St. David schools, Lansing was the first woman band director in the state of Arizona.
After learning how talented students in St. David were, Lansing said it was a major factor in making her want to stay and continue to be a part of the community all these years. Many of the students and their parents were musicians and singers, which made the decision to stay that much easier for Lansing.
"That's why I stayed in St. David. I couldn't go anywhere with more talent," Lansing said.
At that time, Lansing acknowledged being a woman band director was tough and said there were times she had to fight simply to have equal opportunities with her students.
"You couldn't be weak and be a band director," Lansing said.
Through her years at the school, Lansing involved the majority of St. David students in both band and choir. At other times in her teaching career, she taught elementary music, world geography, sixth-grade social studies, physical education and even coached high school volleyball.
With the responsibility of heading both the St. David band and choral programs, Lansing said she often had to rotate her band and chorus programs throughout the week to keep student numbers up and get them credit for the classes.
Lansing has been active with music in the community and played a major role in bringing several musical performances to St. David, including the first performance of Handel's "Messiah" and the popular Broadway musical "The Sound of Music."
In 1985, she took the St. David High School band to the Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C. The band, which consisted of only 39 musicians, performed well enough to earn the Spirit of America Award, one of the highest honors in the nation.
At the end of her career in 1986, Lansing had spent 33 years teaching in St. David. The retirement was short-lived with Lansing still continuing to teach music to students and to stay active in the community today.
One of Lansing's students, Glennis Merrill, followed her to teach band and choir at St. David after Lansing retired. The trend continued when Daniel Tenney, one of Merrill's former students, took over the music program at St. David and heads it today.
To honor her longtime dedication to St. David, it was announced at the St. David School and Town Reunion Aug. 29 that the auditorium in the historic school building would now be known as the Mary P. Lansing Auditorium.
Lansing says she was honored to have the auditorium named after her and was thankful to members of the St. David community for everything they've done for her.
"I put on many a program in that auditorium," Lansing said proudly.
With piano lessons and other activities continuing to keep her occupied, Lansing said she is content with her life and everything she has been able to accomplish.
"I've spent my life doing what I wanted to do," Lansing says. "I still enjoy it and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
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