Halftime show, memorial to mark passing of Murrieta Valley HS band director
Band directors from area middle schools have agreed to step in for Lorenzen for the band's scheduled events.
Rick Lorenzen
The death of Murrieta Valley High School Band Director Rick Lorenzen has brought together a community of students, teachers and colleagues to help carry on the legacy the respected teacher has left behind.
Band directors from area middle schools have agreed to step in for Lorenzen for the band’s scheduled events.
“This not usual,” said Karen Parris, spokeswoman for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District. “A number of his students were in middle school and these teachers are now stepping up to do what they can to keep the band program going.”
Lorenzen, 52, was found at his desk Oct. 25 as students arrived for a regularly scheduled 5:30 p.m. band practice. There had been no indication of any underlying health issues with him, Parris said.
Murrieta Valley High School Principal Renate Jefferson said Lorenzen’s brother mentioned that their father died of a heart attack in his early 50’s. Lorenzen is survived by his brother.
Parris said Lorenzen’s students and several teachers are committed to continuing the marching season.
“They’re moving forward to continue his legacy and everything he’s worked so hard toward.”
A halftime show in memory of Lorenzen will be held during Friday’s Murrieta Valley football game against Great Oak High School at Murrieta Valley High School.
A community memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at the school’s performing arts center.
In a district Web site post dedicated to Lorenzen, several students left comments about the impact Lorenzen made in their lives.
“I have never known anyone who was so committed,” said one student.
“He was a giant in my life — actually, he was like a father figure to me,” said another. “You spend so much time on the field and in the classroom practicing that you get to know each other well. He motivated me to do my very best each time we started playing.”
Parris said there has been an outpouring of comments and remembrances.
“It’s certainly always difficult to lose a teacher, a colleague and a friend,” Parris said. “Mr. Lorenzen was highly respected and students have made really close connections with him since he’s been at the school.”
Read related story: Murrieta Valley High School community mourns loss of teacher
Yazmin Alvarez can be reached at yazmin.alvarez@swrnn.com.
Tags: Karen Parris, murrieta valley high school, murrieta valley unified school district, rick lorenzen, SDNN, SWRNN
READER COMMENTS
- Suspicious object prompts school evacuation
72 - Adam Lambert: Get the birthday cake ready 38
- Hemet woman arrested after Bank of America robbed 36
- Lake Elsinore teen, 13, killed after being struck by pickup 30
- Teachable Moments: Sally Smith off Serra site council at packed meeting 29
- Tickets still available for Adam Lambert's Indio concert 29
- Menifee USD pulls dictionaries due to explicit word 25
- Salm: Think our teachers are doing a lousy job? You try doing it 24
- Feds: Phony U.S. Marshal made it into S.D. airport with 'prisoner' 22
- Opponents to high-speed rail route through Rose Canyon stand firm 19
- Jury's verdict has Murrieta man 'dumbfounded,' but he faces long prison term Ryan Mickey faces 25 years to life in prison, the same term he would have faced if he had been convicted of murder.
- Board considers ballot measure banning project labor agreements The Board of Supervisors agreed on Tuesday to consider putting a measure on the June 8 ballot that would ban project labor agreements on developments being undertaken by San Diego County.
- SR-15 at SR-94 closed; authorities try to talk person off overpass Authorities have closed Interstate 15 at SR-94 in eastern San Diego while trying to talk an apparently suicidal person off an overpass, according to the California Highway Patrol.
- Suspicious objects found at fire station turn out to be harmless A bomb squad has been sent to Escondido Fire Station No. 5, 2319 Felicita Road, to investigate the discovery of several suspicious cylindrical objects in a mailbox there.
- San Diego water use rises in January Overall water use rose 1.5 percent citywide in January, compared to the same month last year, and commercial users are to blame, San Diego officials said Tuesday.
- Valentines Day Brunch Video Recipe Collection Video Collection: Four video recipes from Chef Diane Stopford that will help you create the ultimate Valentines Day brunch for you and your sweetheart.
BlogsGiving’em the BusinessWhat businesses can learn from the Leno-Conan debacle1 hour, 59 minutes ago A More Perfect UnionPeterson: San Diego could still be the ‘Enron by the Sea’6 hours, 32 minutes ago Blogs‘Twilight’ star wows Temecula teens21 hours, 15 minutes ago San Diego at Work BlogElected Officials Sponsor Job Fairs in San Diego22 hours, 9 minutes ago Giving’em the BusinessFinancial fitness: Estate tax planning 2010, or nailing Jell-O to the wall1 day, 2 hours ago A More Perfect UnionRotto: A bipartisanship solution could tank health care reform1 day, 2 hours ago |
|
Sections
Blogs
Comment by: Pam Holzman Posted: October 27, 2009, 4:39 pm
I went to high school with Rick. While we were never really great friends, more “classmates,” I alwyas remember Rick with fondness. I am so sorry to hear of his passing, but glad it was apparently an easy one for him. My prayers for his family, close friends and students.
Comment by: Dexter Thomas SDSU 76-81 Posted: October 27, 2009, 8:37 pm
I got to share the front of the Marching Aztecs for three years with Rick. I was the master of the Mace and Military Batons, but Rick had a true understanding of directing the band. I knew he would make a great director. What a loss.