For Jazz Band director Jesse Woolery and his students, having the 2020 performance with Dave Matthews Band member, Jeff Coffin, shut down was a huge disappointment. The time, preparation, and excitement leading up to the concert was immense, and it was going to have an effect on everyone there.

Although there was a setback in 2020, that would not stop the concert from happening. May 17th, the celebration of the 21 instruments given from Yahmaha to the program from Ambassador Warren Titchnor, will take place at Denton High.

“It was very disappointing to hear,” Senior Matthew Garcia who plays the saxophone.

“It was a great opportunity for the program and the seniors, and it was sad to see the seniors not get a chance to be recognized.”

The concert is in it’s 2nd year of the making, and the addition of Jeff Coffin was very important for the function to have even more importance.

“If I had my pick of artists,” Woolery said. “Jeff is the guy. He isn’t just a great player, but he is also a great educational inspirar. He can really leave a big effect on the students, and that was a huge reason why I wanted to have him here for this special event.”

Ambassador Warren Tichnor, who went to Denton high for only 2 years in the 1970s, wanted to do something special for the program that everyone would remember.

Tichnor gave approximately $50,000 for the program to get 21 top of the line instruments for students to use.

“It was a long process,” Woolery said. “I thought and thought about what to do, so we put the proposal together and made it happen with Yamaha. I knew, in the end, this was going to be really beneficial to the kids.”

Everything was set in March of 2020 for the gifts to be revealed to the kids, and the ceremony to begin. Of course, school was shut down and everything had to be pushed to the next school year.

“It was like presents waiting on Christmas morning,” Woolery said. “We had everything set, and It was very disappointing for the great seniors.

“They worked so hard up until this point, and it was hard mourning the loss of their senior year.”

With the new Denton High School coming in the fall of 2023, the importance of new instruments was key. It gives the program an advantage with the top notch instruments they will already have.

“The proposal worked out perfectly,” Woolery said. “We will already be in a new school, and the opportunities with these instruments are so big. I know the kids coming in will be appreciative, and the seniors leave an impact like no other.”