Three Very Special People
Jane
I want to highlight three people who have had an incredible, lasting impact on me, and I want to start with Jane Angel - because honestly, without her, this story wouldn't have been told.
Jane started at Middle C Music as an intern, right at the very bottom, a young employee joining a mostly male, fast-paced music store, and was expected to keep up. And keep up she did. Through hard work, perseverance, and a consistent "never say no" attitude, she worked her way into becoming an integral part of how the store ran. Not just day-to-day, either - Jane helped build systems, put procedures in place, and constantly looked for ways to make the store better than it was the day before.
She even survived an entire night of listening to “Kiss From a Rose” on repeat while we spent three straight days tearing apart and resetting the entire store after Dunkin’ Donuts flooded us and ruined the carpet. That alone deserves recognition.
But I also want to mention Jane first because she is the one who orchestrated and put together the goodbye party when I left Middle C Music. It remains one of the kindest and most meaningful things anyone has ever done for me. Many of the pictures and memories that follow exist because she cared enough to make sure they weren’t lost.
Mike
My time at Middle C Music is where I truly understood who I wanted to be as a leader. Working there, I met Mike Sweeney, who in so many ways redefined how I see people, how deeply I value relationships, and how important it was to me that the store feel like a real community. Of all the people I’ve had the pleasure to meet in my life, I’ve never met anyone else like Mike.
He has this completely uncanny ability to connect with people — to have them drop their guard immediately, to embrace them and love them so quickly — and he has so many people in his life who looked to him as family and for support. When I started at Middle C, my ideas were pretty firm: an employee should be generally good at everything. You should be able to greet a customer confidently, rent an instrument, walk a parent through contracts, sign someone up for lessons, use the computer system, and handle whatever came your way. That was the expectation.
Mike changed that completely for me.
He showed me that not everybody has to be a generalist, and that sometimes someone is so special in one area that they can shift the entire environment around them. When you walked into the store you were greeted by Mike’s giant smile, asked how you were doing, probably given a hug if he knew you — and then you’d find yourself twenty minutes deep in a meaningful conversation about your life. Working in retail gives you an incredible connection to the community around you, and Mike showed me that if you lead with love, compassion, and true caring, you can foster something truly powerful.
Dave
I can’t not mention Dave Nuttycombe—simply one of my favorite human beings I have ever met. Another example of an artist showing me that there can be so much more to a person if you’re willing to take the time to learn. Artists really are such a creative and incredible group of people, and Dave reminded me of that constantly.
Most of the pictures, videos, and media put together at Middle C were done completely by Dave with his expertise. He wasn’t just able to capture the incredible excellence of the musicianship that filled the store—he was able to add so much of his artistic input and professionalism. Because of him, so many of those memories live on the way they do.
Who Middle C Music Is
I joined the team at Middle C Music at 30 years old and I left before my 38th birthday, and in that time I worked with largely the same group of people. I have to admit, I struggled with this section — putting so much time spent together into words that felt like enough.
I could say that I learned so much about music which I did - because I was surrounded by incredible musicians . I could say that I learned so much about people - which I did - because artists are such unique individuals.
But what I really feel is connectedness, like family, to so many people at Middle C. I’m so thankful for them being part of my life, and I’ll share some videos to give you an idea of the beauty I was constantly surrounded by.
Frederik and Gjinovefa
Frederik Spiro, Enkelejda Spiro, and Gjinovefa Sako
Frederik Spiro, Enkelejda Spiro, and Gjinovefa Sako
Maureen
The Sweater Set - Bathwater
Maureen Andary and Sara Curtain
The Sweater Set - Bathwater
Esther
Esther Haynes - Billie Holiday - A Sailboat In the Moonlight
Esther Haynes
Billie Holiday - A Sailboat In the Moonlight
Amos
Amos Greene - Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
Amos Greene
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
Magdalena
Magdalena Duhagon - Augustin Barrios - Caazapa
Magdalena Duhagon
Augustin Barrios - Caazapa
Middle C Music
Well you should recognize many of the faces in this picture, how honored and privileged I must have felt to be working along side everyone everyday, and why all of this was able to come together and be remembered. I will never forget or take for granted my time at Middle C. I learned so much about myself, but most of all, I learned there is so much I have yet to learn about how amazing people can be if you open your heart to listen.
It would only be fitting to end this chapter with two more performances. First, Mike, joined by Brock Holmes and other teachers and staff from Middle C Music, performed right before I left for Fort Collins. For me, it is one of the most meaningful performances I've seen. I hope you enjoy it.
Mike Sweeney with Middle C Teachers and Staff - What a Wonderful World
Mike Sweeney with Middle C Teachers and Staff
Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World
Last, Maureen managed to make it to the party after a gig just as the last person had left. So she sat down and gave Jane, Jane's parents, and myself an impromptu concert on my last day in D.C. before I headed to Colorado. Maureen was the first person I watched perform when I started at Middle C, and I couldn't imagine a more meaningful and beautiful way to close this chapter of my life. I am so happy to have the privilege of sharing this last moment we all had together that meant everything to me.
Maureen Andary - Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow
Maureen Andary
Judy Garland - Over The Rainbow
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Middle C Music
Rock Band Camp
