By Bethany BROWN

The “Rosemont Bowl” was held on Saturday evening, June 4, at Rosemont Middle School as parents, students – current and former – and community members gathered in the school amphitheater to listen to a medley of live music performed by the RMS Music Dept. This was also the opportunity to bid farewell to the man who began the program 31 years ago. The event marked the final concert of the 2021-22 school year and the very last show for Rodney Yonkers.

Yonkers recalled his earliest memory of walking onto the campus for the first time and entering his new classroom that was seemingly where old, broken instruments were discarded when they could no longer be used. He said he made it his mission to not only bring the life back into the forgotten instruments but to spread his own passion for music among middle school students for decades to come.

With the green light from the then-principal, he first developed and opened a zero-period at 7 a.m. for students who were interested in music. He was overjoyed with the large number of students who took interest. It wasn’t long before the department blossomed full force and has since offered five different programs: concert band, string ensemble, wind ensemble, advanced orchestra and chorus.

“I have always loved my job and it’s going to be strange not being able to go back to school and see the kids again,” Yonkers said regarding his retirement. “I have so many beautiful memories here. It’s very bittersweet and I’m sad, but I just know it’s time.”

He said that he feels “abundantly grateful” to have had one last year on campus with his students after having to teach remotely for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it was difficult not being able to perform in front of an audience as the kids worked so hard all year for really no external reward or gratification.

The Rosemont Bowl serves as a closeout celebration before the summer break. This year Yonkers wanted to make sure it was the most special, memorable experience for the students and attendees because he knew it was his last performance. He also believed it to be a celebration much-needed for everyone following the uncertainty of the last couple of years.

Each year he has dressed up in costume to surprise his students and this year he made his grand entrance as The Greatest Showman in a 1965 red Cadillac convertible – perfectly complementing his red coat and top hat – that drove him to the stage. The hit song “The Greatest Show” blared from the speakers as he arrived.

“The look on [their] faces were incredible,” he said. “What a beautiful time it was! It was fabulous to be out in front of an audience again and to be able to have fun with the kids one last time.”

The theme of the concert – “Thanks for the Memories” – was reflected in the list of songs. A collection of the favorite pieces Yonkers has performed through the years was played, beginning with “America the Beautiful,” including a “Sound of Music” singalong in which the audience joined. He extended his thanks to the many parents who helped make the event a successful one and hopes the students will continue to love music and lift each other up as they move along in life as humans and musicians.

“I want them to remember that you don’t have to be the best musicians in the world, but to just love what you do unconditionally,” he said. “That’s the most important thing. You can only get better by pushing yourself and my goal has always been to make an impact on the kids’ lives that they will remember forever.”

He feels positive that the music department will remain an environment that inspires confidence and growth and future students will be in good hands as his replacement takes over this fall. Melody Chu is a “quality person and musician,” he said. She joins Glendale Unified School District after previously working in Whittier and comes from a long familial line of professional musicians.

“What a nice name to have for a music teacher,” Yonkers joked. “I’m thrilled to have such a great replacement. It was clear from her first interview that she shares many of the same values that I have – putting the kids first, pushing them to reach higher heights and loving what you do.”

On his official last day on campus, Yonkers said he stood in the amphitheater outside the back doors of his classroom and observed the view of the beautiful mountains and scenery surrounding him. He noticed the quiet and the location seemed like a hidden oasis in the middle of nowhere that only those who are lucky enough will find.

“I have been so incredibly blessed to be in this community and to have this job,” he stressed. “I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, and I will never forget my time spent here.”

And surely the community will never forget their greatest showman either.