NAME:
Mr. Nielsen
SCHOOL:
Booker Middle School
CLASS:
Band
SCHOOL PHONE:
941-359-5824
I have had the "Best job in the world" for the past 27 years, teaching band.
I moved to Sarasota in 1983 after 6 years of teaching band in the Detroit
area, to become a professional musician. After 3 years of success in the
music scene, I realized that I missed teaching young students and became the
band director at Booker High/Middle School in 1986. In the late 1980's I
founded the Booker High School Marching and Jazz Bands. In 1993, I moved to
the new Booker MS to really develope a sound music program to help feed the
high school. I am happy that I did because I really learned what teaching
was all about in the middle school. I have a motto about middle school
students. "If you can harness the students together and focus them in the
same direction, then there is nothing you can't do with them" They are a
very energetic group of students and only need a sense of direction. Yes,
these are the "Wonder Years" and I am glad to be a part of it.
I have a few hobbies, most of which are related to music. I perform music on
a regular basis playing classical and jazz in the big band and combo
settings. I have performed with most of the great vocalists of our time,
Steve Lawrence and Edie Gormet, Cab Calloway, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan,
Nancy Wilson, the Four Tops and Temptations, just to name a few. Now I find
myself busy writing and recording music for entertainers and bands on the on
the west coast of Florida. I also produce CD's for bands and have a
recording studio of my own. Aside from music, my favorite hobby is sailboat
racing. I also hope to get back into the golf game before too long. I Love
Sarasota, and I plan on staying here the rest of my life.
My class will strive for perfection in music and everything else that life
brings to the plate. There is no room for slackers. When my students leave
BMS, they will have the tools neccessary to produce quality music in any
program around the country.
