Question one: What is your teaching position here, and how long have you worked at Lenape? If you came from a different school, where did you come from, and what was your teaching position there?

Mr Waldron: band and orchestra director and I have been here for 28 years

Mr Franchi: I am the director of the band, and it’s my third year at Lenape. At Pennsauken, I was the director of the band for three years and the middle school director for five years.

Mr Moore: choir director, fall drama director and one of the music tech 2 instructors. 10 years. I’ve only taught at Lenape.

Question two: What do you enjoy about Lenape?

Mr Waldron: Teaching kids music and the experience that comes along with performing music.

Mr Franchi: There are many opportunities to perform a strong support system, and I have many more opportunities to do things here.

Mr Moore: the students and the teachers I work with…most students.

Question three: What got you into teaching/profession, and what do you enjoy most about teaching or your profession, and does your profession mean anything outside Lenape or teaching like session work, gigs, parties, etc? Do you teach people how to play instruments outside of school?

Mr Waldron: I have always admired my teachers, and I enjoy the learning process, and I wanted to be able to do that for my career… I appreciate people learning and instilling that in the next generation. I have taught privately and played at weddings, so you know there is life outside teaching as a musician, as you know… I also performed and played in musicals.

Mr Franchi: i… I actually…. I was thinking of going pre-med, and I realised that I would be happier with emotional fulfilment than being miserable at the highest-paid job. Furthermore, I’m the marching band director at a different high school. I’m in multiple bands, and I’m in grad school for conducting, so yes. For teaching, yes.

Mr Moore: I had a fantastic high school band director. What I like most about teaching is that students get the concept of something complex. I have worked as a church music director ever since I started Lenape…always. I give lessons over the summer.

Question four: How long have you been playing your instrument, and have you ever considered quitting?

Mr Waldron: No, I have not considered quitting, and I’ve been playing for almost 40 years.

Mr Franchi: I started my first instrument when I was five, and I wanted to quit many times, especially when I was growing up.

Mr Moore: 20 years. I’ve been singing piano since I was 6, and I’ve never thought about quitting.

Question five: What is your favourite song/album, what’s your current favourite song, who are your influences, and who do you inspire to be like 5–10 years?

Mr Waldron: I don’t have one, though I listen to a collective mix of music that I enjoy, though I’ll say that I enjoy music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. My first influences are my parents and my pastor, I was inspired to be more like them. My musical influence is Wynton Marsalis. He was probably my biggest influence growing up, listening as a kid.

Mr Franchi: It is like asking what your favourite food is… how can you pick one? Riften in wed. My high school band directors were very influential, especially the first one that I had. Some conductors that I work with in undergrad in grad school.

Mr Moore: I can’t pick my favorite song, but my favorite album changes day by day. I’ll probably have to say… Billy Joel’s turnstiles. Can’t think of a favorite song. If I’m not teaching here in 5–10 years, I’d like to teach college level.

Question six: Are you doing anything music-related inside Lenape, like winter or spring concerts or musicals and if so, what are they?

Mr Waldron: String Ensemble is going to the T and Arts Festival later this month, so that’s coming up and, of course, will have spring concerts with a piano recital with the piano lab students.

Mr Franchi: Yes, all.

Mr Moore: Yes, duh. I directed the fall Harry Potter show.

Question seven: Do you enjoy any non-music-related activities outside of school?

Mr Waldron: I run… I run a lot and hang out with my dog and my family, and I like to read.

Mr Franchi: I try to experience as much as possible. I have a daughter, and I have a bike, so that’s where all my time is.

Mr Moore: I read quite a bit. I like to hike quite a bit and cook and explore new restaurants and stuff like that and fish.

Question eight: Do you have any pets?

Mr Waldron: I have a dog. He’s my buddy.

Mr Franchi: Yes, 2 dogs, Coltrane and the Duke

Mr Moore: 2 cats. Pocket and Lucy.

Question nine: Did you go to college?

Mr Waldron: Every teacher has gone to college, and I went to Indiana University.

Mr Franchi: Yes. Tcnj Rowan for undergrad and grad school.

Mr Moore: Yes, at Mammoth university .

Question ten: What do you hope to do when you retire, and is music still in your retirement plans, or is music given up entirely?

Mr Waldron: I will look forward to relaxing during retirement, but I still have time, of course, and music will stay a part of my life.

Mr Franchi: Music has not given up entirely also for retirement. Long way to go. Mr. Barber seems like he is okay with subbing when he wants to.

Mr. Moore: Probably just teaching lessons and gig work, so yes, music is still in my retirement plans.

Question eleven: What do you think is your greatest achievement at Lenape or in life in general?

Mr Waldron: Making a positive impact on my students. as for an actual achievement award, that would be winning national championships. I have been here for fifteen state championships and eight national.

Mr Franchi: i… I don’t… I think the departments have been improving since I got here, like more students taking classes, and more students performing than the amount of trophies that we win.

Mr. Moore: My greatest achievement is Aida

Question twelve: Have you ever had a Mozart or Tchaikovsky moment?

Mr Waldron: Well, they’re both dead, so I’m hoping not. With arranged music, to see my music come to life, see students perform it and get recognition from the judging community for my work.

Mr Franchi: I mean… sure. It is not going to be the same style, but everyone has their moments.

Mr. Moore: no

Question thirteen: What is your favourite and least favourite instrument and film? What was the greatest concert that you’ve gone to? Where was it, and who was the artist?

Mr Waldron: My favourites are the trumpets that’s mine. I’ve been playing them my whole life, and I don’t have a least favourite. Instruments are like people, each one has a unique gift that it can offer. For film, not really. I’ve never, uh…yeah. I got to see Dave Brubeck at the Kimmel Centre in Philly. He’s a jazz artist. That year, every Wednesday of every month would bring in an artist, and I got to see Dave Brubeck perform. I also got to see John Williams perform at the Mann Centre. Both were very, very cool experiences.

Mr Franchi: I don’t know if I have a least favourite. Favorite to play sax, favourite to listen to French horn. My favourite film is Lord of the Rings. My least favourite film… no. Newport Jazz Fest, 2012.

Mr Moore: My favorite instrument is the pipe organ, and my least favorite is the flute. The greatest concert was Yo-Yo Ma at the Kimmel Centre, seeing John Williams conduct.

Question fourteen: What countries have you been to?

Mr Waldron: United States and Canada

Mr Franchi: I have been to the US, Canada, France, Portugal, Spain, China, Ireland Morocco. I did go to Canada for a band trip when I was in high school, aside from those personal trips.

Mr. Moore: Canada and Britain

Question fifteen: What are your thoughts on working at Lenape or your previous school or past jobs?

Mr Waldron: I give it my all for any job I’ve had. Whether it was delivering papers rain or snow on a bicycle to conducting the ensembles here at the high school, always give it your best.

Mr Franchi: I haven’t quit yet… I enjoy being here.

Mr. Moore: I love working here…that is why I’ve been here for 10 years. Glad I left my past jobs and glad I’m here.

Question sixteen: What things interest you about music/music culture/music history?

Mr Waldron: There’s so many different possibilities that music can do. It touches on all emotions, it touches the human soul… It’s intrical.

Mr Franchi: How culture and music intersect because music was created at a time and a place for a reason

Mr. Moore: music culture in general and what if you want to know what people are thinking then there’s a period for that mostly though what they’re listening to

Question seventeen: What new things are you still discovering about music/music culture/music history?

Mr Waldron: I love that there are always new people coming up with new ideas through music. Nw songs new lyrics to express them it’s always exciting like what’s gonna be the new hit song broadway musical or going backwards in time a new experience by a group that you’ve never heard like if i go to the philly orchestra or a a club or a jazz club there’s always new ideas about songs i’ve never heard before and the possibilities are endless.

Mr Franchi: You just keep going down the rabbit hole and have even been going down the rabbit hole recently that has been debuted, and I have to stay on top constantly

Mr. Moore: Again, as far as music is concerned, a lot of music from the 1980s

Question eighteen: What is your least favorite type of music? Do you like musicals, and if so, which ones?

Mr Waldron: music with profanity in it. Musicals are awesome, there are so many out there. I’m not going to list them out, but there are a lot of great musicals out there. Phantom of the Opera is a great musical, Jesus Christ superstar. There’s one called Sunset Boulevard… that was a good one.

Mr Franchi: pop country music. No, I don’t like musicals.… Nothing against them, just never been my cup of tea.

Mr Moore: I hate most modern pop. I don’t like boring musicals… There are boring musicals… Addams Family Cats, Oklahoma.

Question nineteen: Who is your favourite student?

Mr Waldron: Going back to a previous question, every student has something to honour, and I’m fortunate enough to experience that at Lenape

Mr Franchi: No.

Mr. Moore: Mr Franchi