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August 05, 2011 at 4:30 PM

By Rosie Sells, Resident
Beatitudes Campus 

This is one of my favorite memories of my entire teaching career!

In the early '60s I was the Third and Fourth Grade traveling music teacher in the Madison School District #1 of Phoenix, Arizona.  One morning a Fourth Grade student, Michael Abels, came to my office and said, "Mrs. Sells, I have written a symphony , and I want you to have it."  So, of course, I was very excited, hugged Michael, and thanked him very much.  His "symphony" consisted of a small piece of paper about six by eight inches with three staffs and some notes.

About twelve to fifteen years later, I took my Fourth Grade school students to the Phoenix Symphony Hall to hear their Music Memory Program.  It was to be performed by the Youth Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Mark Smith, the assistant Conductor of the Phoenix Symphony at that time.  I had also taught Mark Smith in the Third and Fourth grades, and he and Michael Abels were in the same music class. 

On the program was "Global Warming" by Michael Abels.  Before the orchestra played "Global Warming" the conductor announced that the composer Michael Abels was there from California.  After being introduced, Michael Abels walked out onto the stage.

Well, I got so excited, I told my students to be "perfect," and I ran down the aisle to the stage and yelled up to Michael.  Michael yelled, "Mrs. Sells," and ran down off the stage and grabbed me.  We hugged and I asked him to come meet my Fourth Graders. So, we walked up the aisle to the students who were in awe to meet a living composer. Michael told them, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Mrs. Sells."  So, of course, I got tears in my eyes and so did some of my students.

If you would like to listen to  "Global Warming" you can hear it on this web site: www.michaelabels.com/global.html

Roadrunner Extra! wrote to Michael Abels.  He responded:

"The title of my piece "Global Warming" refers to a warming of cultural relations. It was written in 1990, and the Music Memory concert that Rosie is recalling was in 1991.
But I do remember first trying to write orchestral music around 3rd-4th grade, and I'm sure Rosie would have been the first person I wanted to show my work to. Rosie was a wonderful music teacher! She loved to sing and we kids loved to sing for her. As a young adult, having "Global Warming" performed by an orchestra with her in the audience was a thrill for me." Michael

 

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Rosie Sells is a resident of Beatitudes Campus and a member of the resident-run Writers’ Group. This article ran in the May-June 2011 issue of the Roadrunner Extra!, a newsletter for the residents, by the residents!

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