Deirdre Newman Greg Pate credits playing the...

Deirdre Newman

Greg Pate credits playing the trombone in the Westminster High

School band for keeping him in school.

“Being a musician, you’re a little different than your peer

group,” Pate said. “So now all of a sudden ... there’s people there

you know because you’ve gone through music programs for years with

them. Then you got a built-in core of friends, so there’s always

people to hang out with.”

So Pate could empathize with daughter Charlotte when she had some

trouble fitting in at Newport Harbor High School. His advice to his

trumpet-playing daughter?

Join the band.

Charlotte followed her father’s advice and the 16-year-old junior

now belongs to the marching and concert bands. She is just one of

many second- or third-generational band members at the school whose

parents helped instill an appreciation for music.

“I love music,” Charlotte raved. “If there were no music, I

wouldn’t be alive.”

Charlotte’s mother, Yvonne, played percussion at Estancia High

School. She was in the band at Orange Coast College when she became

pregnant with Charlotte.

So it seemed inevitable that the musical muses would bless

Charlotte as well.

And they did, for a time.

In the fourth grade, Charlotte started playing trumpet even though

she really wanted to play the drums.

“It’s a special breed that lets their kids play the drums,” Greg

said.

But soon, playing a musical instrument lost its luster and

Charlotte gave it up.

“I thought it was boring and stupid, so I quit and didn’t play

again until ninth grade. Then it was cool.”

Yvonne said she is proud of her daughter’s renewed commitment to

music.

“It’s a discipline and if she doesn’t have anything else, she

always has this,” Yvonne said. “I think it’s great because it’s not

something someone can just walk up and pick it up and do.”

Band director Rob Henthorn said second- and third-generation band

members are common. While individual ability is the most important

indicator of whether a child will succeed musically, having parents

that have played in high school bands enhances the experience,

Henthorn said.

“It just seems that parents [of students] who are second- or

third-generation know what’s important for progress in terms of time

commitment because, for me, it’s a huge time commitment,” Henthorn

said.

Senior David Morihiro, 17, is well aware of that commitment. He

plays French horn in the concert and marching bands and piano in the

jazz band.

“Music is of capital importance,” David said. “It’s just part of

every day. Something about me has to have music in it.”

David’s mom, Barbara, played French horn at Newport Harbor in the

‘70s. One of the highlights of her band days was marching in the Rose

Parade her freshman year.

Barbara said she is impressed these days with the complex

choreography of the marching band during its field shows.

“We didn’t have those kinds of competitions back then; it was a

lot easier,” Barbara said. “When you look at what bands learn now to

do their field show, I’m amazed with all those intricate movements.”

Henthorn’s zeal for music is rivaled by his passion for

preciseness, so he holds his young band students to high standards in

all environments, especially on the field.

“When we march on the field, no two people march the same thing,”

Henthorn said. “It’s so independent yet so integrated. It’s tough,

but you get such a feeling of accomplishment.”

Inside the classroom, Henthorn, a big bear of a man with a gentle

demeanor, keeps the atmosphere light. During jazz band practice on

Thursday, the students talked and laughed in between playing.

“We can talk about whatever we want and ask questions freely about

stuff like rhythm without feeling stupid,” said senior Sheena de

Wall, 17, whose mom played the alto saxophone. “There’s a great sense

of energy, plus the music is really fun.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.