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Director Paul Shoremount offers words of encouragement to members of the R.E. Aylor Middle School Jazz Band before the group's performance at last month's Spring Concert.bands during the next few years,” he said.Shoremount came back to Shenandoah in 1980 to work on a master’s degree in music education.“I had a good deal offered to me at Shenandoah,” he said. “While I worked on my master’s, I was hired as a residential director and that paid for room and board, and then I was hired to teach, which paid for my course work.”During the summers, he was director of career services and summer programs at the university.“I ran the elder hostel. I basically got paid for getting my master’s. It was a chance of a lifetime and a good opportunity ”Also while working on his masters, which he earned in 1985, Shoremount met his wife, Tammy, who was studying nursing.The couple, who live in a house they built on 25 acres near Edinburg, was married in 1985. They have two sons — Daniel, 14, and Joe, 12.“My family is pretty much my life,” Shoremount said. “I used to play in a lot of bands, but my family is my life now.”After earning a master’s, Shoremount continued toteach jazz-related classes at Shenandoah before coming to Aylor in 1986.“When I came here, there was a good program in place,” he said. “I took that and expanded upon it.”Asked why he decided to leave Aylor, Shoremount said: “I’ve been here 16 years. I’ve done everything with the band program that I want to do and I don’t think I can push it any further here.” Another reason for his decision, he said, has to do with his belief that middle school bands should not be marching bands.“I don’t think that middle schools should march in parades, such as the (Shenandoah) Apple Blossom Festival’s parades,” Shoremount said. “Kids start learning to play an instrument in the sixth grade and then are expected to march in the seventh grade. That’s too much.“My feeling as a band director here is to teach kids to play, but not use them as a publicity release tool.”Also, as a teacher, Shoremount said, he wants to stay challenged and not get stagnant.“I believe that at this point in my career, it will be challenging and fun to build aprogram at a new school.”Although he’s looking forward to that challenge, Shoremount said he will miss Aylor and his association with Frederick County Public Schools’ other band directors.“I will really miss working with Aylor’s assistant band director, Gerald Kinzie,,and Dan Schoemmell, the band director at Sherando HighSchool. I respect Dan more than any other music educator I’ve ever met. He’s a good man.”In spite of missing his peers, Shoremount said he is comfortable with the decision to leave the Frederick County school system.“It wasn’t easy to go, but it will be good. I’m ready.”
Newspaper Details
Winchester Star
Winchester, Virginia, US
Wed, Jun 05, 2002
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Handley R.
VA, USA 26 Apr 2024
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