EDITOR: I read with sadness that Marty Baum had recently passed
away. I was a student of Mr. Baum
’s at Britton Middle School in the early 1980s. It was in his
advanced band that I first learned to love music and performance.
But far beyond musical skills, Mr. Baum created an example as a
leader that influences me to this day. Imagine attempting to
instruct a room full of 13- to 15-year-olds
armed with horns and drums. Mr. Baum did it masterfully. He
smiled more than he scolded, encouraged more than he criticized and
showed genuine enthusiasm and passion for his student’s progress
and achievement.
EDITOR:
I read with sadness that Marty Baum had recently passed away. I was a student of Mr. Baum’s at Britton Middle School in the early 1980s. It was in his advanced band that I first learned to love music and performance. But far beyond musical skills, Mr. Baum created an example as a leader that influences me to this day.
Imagine attempting to instruct a room full of 13- to 15-year-olds armed with horns and drums. Mr. Baum did it masterfully. He smiled more than he scolded, encouraged more than he criticized and showed genuine enthusiasm and passion for his student’s progress and achievement.
Teenagers can spot a phony a mile away. Mr. Baum was the real deal. He got a kick out of working with us and it showed. He made you want to be better, to practice longer, to make him proud.
And when it did come time to discipline, Mr. Baum was the undisputed, grand champion king of dirty looks. That’s all it took, no words, just one look over the glasses and a raised eyebrow from Mr. Baum and you knew to clam up in a hurry.
I can still hear Mr. Baum saying in his warm, deep voice, “If you’re going to make a mistake, make a loud one.” That’s Mr. Baum. One in a million. A great teacher. A lasting legacy.
Aaron Blas,Morgan Hill
