Band director conducts finale
An institution after 38 years at Wilde Lake High, Lew Dutrow wants to make sure his students don’t give up because he’s retiring
A s Lew Dutrow prepares to retire after 38 years as band director at Wilde Lake High School, his plans include making an impassioned plea to his students — urging them not to call it quits just because he’s leaving.
“I’m going to walk around the band room and stare each of them in the face,” said Dutrow, who has spent his career at Wilde Lake after traveling among three county elementary schools for a year.
“I’m going to tell them, ‘I understand you don’t like change, but I’m hoping to get through to you that you need to give the next person a chance,’”said the Woodbine resident, who announced his retirement in March.
“This has never been about me anyway,” he said of the Wildecats’ band program, which has grown from a group of 24 when he was hired in 1980 to 112 students in 10 bands and ensembles today.
“It’s always been about all of us — about the band family — and I don’t want kids to jump ship.”
As Dutrow gets ready for his final bow, alumni and parents are planning a retirement celebration for June 16 at the Chrysalis amphitheater in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods. The event will run from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and while tickets are free, preregistration is required at wlhsband.com.
Alumni performances and concerts by the Wilde Lake Jazz Ensemble and Wilde Lake Steel Drum Band will rule the day.
Requisite speeches and presentations will precede what is currently billed only as “a final performance.”
Dutrow did make one request of event planners: Build in plenty of mingling time to allow him to catch up with everybody and to thank them for coming. A prolific hugger, he needs time to dispense his signature embraces without feeling rushed.
“The thing that makes me the happiest is that so many of my students are doing things that are much greater than anything I’ve ever done,” he said in anticipation of the event.
Gene Bradford, president and CEO of Jazz St. Louis, said he owes his career to Dutrow’s influence and guidance — and will bring along his harmonica for an impromptu jam session to prove it.
“If it weren’t for Lew Dutrow, I wouldn’t be enjoying the life I have now,” Bradford said of the Illinois nonprofit he’s led for 20 years. “I run an after-school program to teach kids to play jazz. That’s me paying forward what Lew gave to me.”
Dutrow confesses that on one level, retiring was an easy decision to make. He said he came close to leaving it all behind last year to spend more time with his family.
“Standing on a 125-degree plastic field [during football games] and climbing up and down the ladder to the conductor’s platform when it’s 90 degrees — something about that has lost its appeal,” he said.
“It’s time to turn this over to someone younger,” said the director, who is 60. “This See DUTROW, page 6
“I’m going to walk around the band room and stare each of them in the face,” said Dutrow, who has spent his career at Wilde Lake after traveling among three county elementary schools for a year.
“I’m going to tell them, ‘I understand you don’t like change, but I’m hoping to get through to you that you need to give the next person a chance,’”said the Woodbine resident, who announced his retirement in March.
“This has never been about me anyway,” he said of the Wildecats’ band program, which has grown from a group of 24 when he was hired in 1980 to 112 students in 10 bands and ensembles today.
“It’s always been about all of us — about the band family — and I don’t want kids to jump ship.”
As Dutrow gets ready for his final bow, alumni and parents are planning a retirement celebration for June 16 at the Chrysalis amphitheater in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods. The event will run from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and while tickets are free, preregistration is required at wlhsband.com.
Alumni performances and concerts by the Wilde Lake Jazz Ensemble and Wilde Lake Steel Drum Band will rule the day.
Requisite speeches and presentations will precede what is currently billed only as “a final performance.”
Dutrow did make one request of event planners: Build in plenty of mingling time to allow him to catch up with everybody and to thank them for coming. A prolific hugger, he needs time to dispense his signature embraces without feeling rushed.
“The thing that makes me the happiest is that so many of my students are doing things that are much greater than anything I’ve ever done,” he said in anticipation of the event.
Gene Bradford, president and CEO of Jazz St. Louis, said he owes his career to Dutrow’s influence and guidance — and will bring along his harmonica for an impromptu jam session to prove it.
“If it weren’t for Lew Dutrow, I wouldn’t be enjoying the life I have now,” Bradford said of the Illinois nonprofit he’s led for 20 years. “I run an after-school program to teach kids to play jazz. That’s me paying forward what Lew gave to me.”
Dutrow confesses that on one level, retiring was an easy decision to make. He said he came close to leaving it all behind last year to spend more time with his family.
“Standing on a 125-degree plastic field [during football games] and climbing up and down the ladder to the conductor’s platform when it’s 90 degrees — something about that has lost its appeal,” he said.
“It’s time to turn this over to someone younger,” said the director, who is 60. “This See DUTROW, page 6
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
