His door is always open. The program's success can also be measured in scholarship dollars. We produce a product of a certain quality with the kids and it's desirable to the colleges. They become a commodity that the colleges want. Nordby recalls one student who was accepted into M.I.T., but when the prestigious college found out that she was an all-state bassoonist, it also offered her a scholarship.
Success breeds success, but it can also cause problems.
The shared bandroom is filled to capacity, hampering flexibility in class scheduling. The Tahoe Truckee Unified School District plans to build an additional bandroom in 1999, but cannot hire another teacher this year. The teachers oppose limiting the number of students in band. They offer an open door for all students to enter, with no tryouts. That's because their hearts are gigantic.