“Good morning, and a happy Monday to ya,” is how I have been greeted every Monday morning by Gregg Sisk for the past three years, and after 31 years, he has drawn a close to his high school career.

Sisk has been a part of my high school experience since my freshman year, helping enhance my ability at both the saxophone and as a jazz musician in general.

“Mr. Sisk taught me how to work as a band rather than an individual,” said Matthew Sullivan, from Sisk’s class of 2007.

Sisk’s own musical career began at an early age, and it has grown tremendously. “My mom started me as a concert pianist,” Sisk said. “I won a lot of awards and went to college on a piano scholarship. I first became interested in becoming a music teacher my sophomore year in high school. Our band teacher had a heart attack, and the long-term sub they got didn’t know anything about music. He asked if anyone knew how to conduct and I volunteered. I took over for the semester in both jazz and concert band, and we performed in concerts and went to festivals. That’s when I knew I wanted to become a music teacher.”

His passion took off from there.

After graduating from the University of Redlands, he got hired at Upland High School, a school of approximately 4,000 students, where he worked for 3 ½ years.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the thousands of students and I want to thank everyone for helping me make music,” Sisk commented. “The legacy I want to leave is, nobody knew where McKinleyville and Arcata was when we would go to festivals. We would compete against schools five times the size of us. I want people to realize that it is possible to have a quality music department even at small schools.”

For his last concert, Sisk requested that his old students come back and play one last time. The turnout of guests was astounding.

“I wasn’t doing very well in my first couple years of high school and I had to do a turnaround,” Bodie Pfost, Class of 1998, remembered. “Music saved me and I am now a college graduate. That is all because of Mr. Sisk.”

Sisk has been to countless musical festivals, including the Reno Jazz Festival more than 20 times, Southern California numerous times and Portland Oregon a few times.

“In 1992 the ArMack concert band was asked to represent California in San Antonio, Texas,” Sisk shared. “It was a unique situation because it was back when we rehearsed separately and performed together. We ended up taking fourth place.”

When I was his student, he went out of his way to get to know me as a person, rather than just a member of his band.

“My favorite part of being a teacher has been the aspect of seeing students grow from relatively inexperienced middle school band members to seeing them become musicians,” Sisk reminisced. “I like to see the growth not just musical, but personal. I think we get closer than most classes, with the numerous out-of-town trips and out-of-class time we spend together.”

After every spring play, ATW show or even dress rehearsal, I can count on Sisk to ask me the next morning how it went, and he is always genuinely interested in the answer.

“My goal as a teacher has always been to learn to appreciate all kinds of music, to appreciate the art of lifting ink from a page and making art and music,” Sisk informed. “I have hoped to instill a lifelong appreciation of music in my students. Not necessarily playing their entire lives, but going to concerts and such. Also, gaining and earning the mutual respect, not only student to teacher, but as people.”

He is not only worried about how we sound, but his biggest concern is how we get along as classmates, peers and people.

“Being back here there is a lot of energy,” said Pfost, who went on to receive a degree in music. “We all had a really strong connection and used to hang out all of the time. That camaraderie is what I miss. I play music on a daily basis and it is all because of Mr. Sisk.”

The respect for Sisk was apparent by all of the old faces that showed up May 21 to play together once again.

“It’s honestly because of him that I want to be a music teacher,” Sullivan remarked.

Sisk may be retiring from being a music teacher, but his plans are plentiful.

“I’m giving away my eldest daughter in July,” Sisk said. “My wife and I plan to travel. Just settle in and see what retirement has to offer. HSU has asked me to help train new student teachers. I want to play, and perform. I haven’t had the chance to play the French horn in a long time.”

He may be looking forward to retirement, but there is some regret coming as well.

“I’m going to miss the students, being around young people every day,” Sisk said. “I’ll miss the staff. I have made a lot of friends with them over the years, and I will truly miss them. I will also miss concerts, directing in concerts, but now I will get to perform.”

His class has taught everyone more than just music notes and counting.

Sisk’s last concert was bittersweet to all of us; it was the end of a career, but also the beginning of his retirement.

He made sure to tell us all that this was not a goodbye, rather a “see ya later.”

(Opinions expressed in columns do not necessarily reflect those of The Eureka Reporter or its staff.)