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Robert Holmes Y.C. Unified School
District Music Coordinator, Assistant: YCHS Band, CURRENT DIRECTOR of the Yuba City High School Alumni and Friends Band Bob Holmes, our current Yuba City Unified School District Music Coordinator, has an office in the music wing of Yuba City High School. His desk fills a corner of what was formerly occupied by band directors: Barrie Wells and Richard Morrissey. Bob, was a trumpet playing graduated from Enterprise High School in Redding in 1964. He went on as a music major at Chico State College, were he graduated in 1968. He met and played in the college band with a number of students who were graduates of YCHS and had played under the direction of Barrie Wells. Bob’s sister and brother, Kathy and Dan Holmes, were also members of Barrie’s band and he caught certain of their performances. He says, he was “impressed” by Elsa’s Procession To The Cathedral, a piece Barrie directed at one of the Bean Feeds. “I LOVED ELSA'S,” said Bob, “and was pleasantly surprised when he chose to play it at such a casual event. I still remember the ‘goose bumps’, at the first big crescendo!!” Bob comments about the fact that whenever he saw and heard us march, we were always playing “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”! He’s still wondering… “why”??? He says, “We were excellent!!” Bob holds a B.A. in Music and an M.A. in Music Education. Bob served in the United States Army in Germany from 1971-1973. He is a S.SG in the Army National Guard Band in Sacramento. Included in his long history as a bandsman, was a performances before former U.S. President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Bob’s high school band played for J.F.K. in October of 1963, when the president passed this way for the dedication of a dam north of Redding. Bob recalled, “He waved to me! I still have movie film I shot of him. I was supposed to be in a trumpet trio on the top of the dam playing ‘Oh My Darlin Clementine,’ as a guy with a mule in prospectors attire was to walk from one end to the other. When the guy got to about the center of the dam, Secret Service Agents rushed out and grabbed him! Needless to say, we didn't get to play the tune!” Bob remembers President Kennedy was stooped--from his back injuries acquired in WWII. The president was crushed by a crowd of hand shakers, when he turned back towards the podium, Bob shouted to him, and the president leaned around someone to wave. Bob has it on film! Bob Holme’s military, music career also lead to performances at the Munich Olympics, before four California governors, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip of Great Britian, and has been Honor Guard for many military funerals in Europe and the U.S., military ceremonies for all branches of the service. Bob has taught music for 32 years in this area of northern California including: Orland, Oroville, Marysville and Yuba City. He was director of the YCHS Band for 10 years, until this current year. He still assists the band, while serving as District Music Coordinator and teaching at Andros Karperos Middle School, Park Ave, Robbins and Central Gaither Schools. He has been married to wife, Rosemarie for 34 years and has two musical daughters, Marion and Rachel!
written by Neva Nix |
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