RIP

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tao707
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RIP

Post by tao707 » Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:05 am

It saddens to announced that the band director of Vallejo HS Carmel Pajita has passed away yesterday.

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Hostrauser
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Re: RIP

Post by Hostrauser » Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:04 pm

Oh my goodness! She wasn't very old. I'm sorry to hear that. :cry:

Edited 12/15: only 61 years old. Complications from COVID-19 according to several Facebook posts from people who knew her.

JRZ
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Re: RIP

Post by JRZ » Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:59 pm

We have lost a band director pioneer and a true friend in Carmel Pajita of Vallejo HS. Carmel was a student of Frank Bigoski, III and I had the pleasure of being introduced to her as her master teacher while she was in the student teaching phase of her education. 

The school was Pinole Valley HS in Pinole, Ca. As a student teacher, I saw that there was a spirit of confidence in how she wanted to approach teaching band. I let her try her ideas with the members of the class and I saw potential in her. She was obviously well trained in what to do with a band program and while she knew her band literature, she also had a quiet way of showing that she cared about everyone around her...something that would become her signature in later years.

She didn't just want to direct and teach band...she wanted to make a difference in music education. She would come to use lots of different methods to teach leadership and give ownership to her students. I watched with pride how she would take the lessons learned in student teaching and adapt, adopt, and apply them to her different teaching locations.

I had the chance to observe and sometimes experience the silent but effective way that she used her sense of humor to make a point get across or just enjoy a funny situation at someone else's expense. Anyone who knew her knew that she didn't have to say much...it was HOW she said it that conveyed her true feelings about band, education, music, and life. 

She became a family friend after her student teaching stint at Pinole Valley and would often call me for advice or for being an extra ear or set of eyes for her groups. She was a true friend and kept up that loyal friendship throughout the years with me and my family and would always chat with me, my wife, or my youngest daughter.

I'm going to miss her and her presence at ANY band-related events. And we are all going to miss but remember her pioneering efforts as a band director and music educator.

I'm going to miss a true friend.

Mahal kita, Carmel. Thank you for teaching ME.--

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Re: RIP

Post by raleigh » Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:13 am

Just heard the sad news... RIP

JCYS
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Re: RIP

Post by JCYS » Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:07 pm

OMG...I had not heard. Always one of my favorite people and enjoyed seeing her and her bands at events.
Jeff Stratton

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