Sad news

I realize that this news was quite old, but I didn't even hear about it until recently. This is about the sad passing of Jorge Avendaño. He was the 6th grade band teacher at Zach White Elementary and several other westside El Paso elementary schools. I only had him in 6th grade, but he always remembered me throughout junior high, high school, and I even saw him when I was at UTEP and he remembered me. He was also the tuba player for the symphony.

I remember that he was very well liked. Just a very nice man and apparently generous as well:

Benefit for Jorge Avendaño

All I know is that he made band fun enough for me to continue. I know that a lot of people lose interest in music during school - I'll talk about my high school experience later - but suffice to say, I owe this man a lot. For me personally, he was my single point of introduction to formal music. I continued playing trombone through college and part of that had to be because when I first started it was made fun enough for me to continue. Sure, my parents encouraged me to play, but I was the one who had wanted to be in band, and I can only imagine that things would be much different had I not liked the first year.

The music world needs more Jorge Avendaños. People who are willing to take a group of 6th graders and teach them how to play an instrument and more importantly to make it fun!

Keep in mind, he did this year after year after year. I would see that as punishment. One would almost wonder what he had done in a past life to deserve this! He had to love what he did. Imagine what he had to listen to every day of his working life. Lots of squeaks and splats!

Thank you Mr. A.
I mean Jorge.

(He told me when I ran into him at UTEP once that me calling him "Mr. Avendaño" made him feel old)