New Band Teacher Keeps the Music Going
Passing the Baton
Music man: The beat goes on in the band room with Alan Warmanen , who started in September as the new band teacher. David Miller, son of retired Band Director Thomas Miller, is now directing the Marching Band.
The music department is marching to the beat of a new drummer.
Alan Warmanen, the new head of the music department, replaced the legendary Thomas J. Miller, who retired in June after 40 years of teaching.
“I’m ready for the challenge and very excited to get this year moving,” said Warmanen about taking over Miller’s conducting baton.
Before coming to Southfield High School, Warmanen worked as the band and choir director at St. Thomas School in Ann Arbor, Mich., for 2 years.
Senior David Battle, a four-year band member and the band captain of the Marching Blue Jays, said, “To be honest, I was ready for the change.” Battle said he was close to Miller but had been expecting the transition.
Of Warmanen, Battle said, “I like him a lot; he’s motivating and a refreshment for this program.”
Warmanen has an unusual past. He served in the U.S. Navy as an air traffic controller for five years and developed skin cancer on his left ear as a result of too much sun exposure,
His left outer ear was surgically removed when he was 32, in 1992, but he can still hear with both ears, which is handy for a band director, he jokes.
Every morning before coming to school he attaches an artificial ear over his left eardrum. The artificial ear was custom made for him by a student from the University of Michigan.
The rest of Warmanen is all real, he says.
After his Navy years, the Eastern Michigan University graduate worked for the Federal Aviation Administration at Flint’s Bishop Airport as a Navy air controller and instructor for 20 years.
He says he learned to teach while working for the FAA, which led him to pursue his lifelong dream to teach music.
Warmanen himself is a percussionist. He developed his percussion skills as a student at Ypsilanti High School, where he played the drums in his school band. The tenor says he can sing, too,
Warmanen teaches orchestra, choir and concert band and works with David Miller, Jr., – son of the retired Miller – to co-direct the Marching Band.
The blond-haired Warmanen teaches his classes with a sense of humor. When he begins to teach, he pretends he is standing on a podium in front of the 110-member marching band, waiting for silence. In reality, he is standing in front of approximately 10 students on a tiled classroom floor.
The humor is intentional, he said. He says he hopes to bring levity and joy into the band room this year.
Zana Atkins • Oct 9, 2013 at 1:09 pm
This was a very interesting article on Mr. Warmnen. He came to Southfield High for a reason and that was to lead our band for the season!
Aasif Allen • Oct 8, 2013 at 2:19 pm
I found this story to be very well-written and interesting because it included random facts that were strange but caught the attention of the reader.
Shelby Christian • Oct 8, 2013 at 9:30 am
Mr.Warmanen is a great teacher for band/ vocal class. He is always helping me with my music and teaching me new things about music. For example clapping rhythms, sight reading, and other things. He is really an inspriation to me.
Jay Reid • Oct 8, 2013 at 8:33 am
I like how even though a major part of the band is gone, the band is still moving to a different drumer. I find it nice to see that the journalist includes that the orchestra, concert band, and the marching band are commiting thier efforts towards the new music teacher.
David Battle • Oct 8, 2013 at 8:27 am
This story is very well-written by the journalist and shows that even though the maching band is missing the retired Mr. Miller, this band is moving forward.