Instrumental: Band director Regina Raney influences hundreds of lives through music

By Catherine Godbey | Staff Writer

On New Year’s Day, Regina Raney, flute in hand, will join several hundred other band directors from across the country to march the 5.5-mile Pasadena Rose Parade in California.

“I am very excited that I was selected for the Saluting America’s Band Directors project. It is a reminder of just how far music can take you,” Raney said.

When not marching in the Pasadena Rose Parade, the 58-year-old Raney molds, inspires, educates and influences more than 350 young musicians as the band director of Austin Middle School and Austin Junior High School.

Raney credited her family, who played bluegrass music on Friday and Saturday nights, for instilling in her a love for music, and her brother, the late Kevin Yates, for getting her involved with band.

“I wanted to do everything my brother did. I was that annoying little sister. He played baseball, I played baseball. He was on the math team, I was on the math team. He was in the band, I wanted to be in the band. He was just a big positive influence on my life,” Raney said.

When faced with the decision of what instrument to play, Raney, following in her brother’s footsteps, chose trombone.

“I was set on the trombone but the band director said more flute players were needed and asked me if I would do it. I said, ‘Of course,’ because I wanted to be a teacher pleaser,” Raney said.

Following her brother into the school band set the course for Raney’s life.

In seventh grade, two years after joining the band, Raney knew she wanted to become a band director and a math teacher.

“I chose teaching because I love to help people. I’ve always loved to help people,” Raney said. “In music, to see the students grow from not even knowing how to put a musical instrument together to performing that instrument in a concert is so gratifying. Teaching also allows me to connect with the students and watch them grow.”

At the University of Alabama, Raney, who played flute and piccolo in middle and high school, added the saxophone and French horn to her repertoire.

“I love to play those instruments because of jazz. Jazz is one of my favorite genres of music to listen to as well as play and teach,” Raney said.

Among Raney’s favorite classical pieces to play is “Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo” by Malcolm Arnold.

“It is one of my favorite pieces to play and conduct, probably because of my first experience with it,” Raney said. “I was in the honor band in high school and I played that piece in Cullman County under Dr. (Dwayne) Sagen. It was the first time I had played under a college-level teacher. He was the guest conductor and so encouraging. He picked music that inspired me.”

Along with teaching music, Raney performs with the Huntsville Master Chorale — she played at the Army’s 250th celebration at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in the summer — and Decatur’s Orchestra Sul Ponticello, founded 11 years ago by the late Viljar Weimann.

“My father’s dream was to provide high quality, professional level orchestral music to the city of Decatur and surrounding areas,” Miika Weimann said. “I now believe it’s more important than ever. Since the city and state are pushing and promoting college-level training in arts, music and dance heavily through the Alabama Center for the Arts, I believe Decatur OSP is one important facet of the promotion of culture, arts and music in the city.”

Raney remembers the first time she sat in a rehearsal for Orchestra Sul Ponticello.

“It was one of the orchestra’s first concerts. I remember Viljar telling us that we would not get paid. That was OK with all of us. We were just excited to be part of an orchestra in Decatur,” Raney said.

The orchestra’s line-up for this season includes the Joy of Christmas on Dec. 13 featuring “The Messiah,” the “Nutcracker Suite,” “Sleigh Ride” and more, a Pops Concert featuring movie music on Feb. 26 and a chamber orchestra concert with music by Bach, John Rutter and Samuel Barber on May 16. All of the concerts will take place at Southside Baptist Church.

“I enjoy the Christmas concert because the audience truly loves Christmas music and experiencing the joy of Christmas together through music,” Weimann said.

Depending on the concert, the size of the orchestra ranges from 24 to 50 people with four to 10 of the musicians from Decatur and Morgan County, Weimann said.

“We strive to have as many local musicians as possible play with Decatur Orchestra Sul Ponticello,” Weimann said. “Most of the musicians are people who live within 45 minutes or less of Decatur.”

Raney performs with Orchestra Sul Ponticello when needed and when her schedule permits her to.

“I love being part of the orchestra. We all love playing and anytime I get a chance to play, I am so thankful,” Raney said. “It also gives my students a chance to see me and other professional musicians play. It is so important to show them where music can take them.”

Besides music, Raney, who started teaching at Austin in 2001, focuses on instilling in her 365 students — 160 sixth graders, 110 seventh graders and 95 eighth graders — a sense of responsibility and integrity.

“I get emotional when my students leave me because I know I won’t have that day-to-day influence on their lives. I hope I teach them to be ladies and gentlemen. I hope I teach them that when life gets hard, they should choose not to be a victim, but to be victorious,” Raney said. “I love music. I love teaching music, but teaching character is more important than music.”