CONDUCTOR SEES MOVIE MIMIC LIFE.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer Fourteen years ago, when Kathryn Spula began teaching at Placerita Junior High School, she had a goal to one day join the top student musicians from throughout the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. in a symphony. Last year she realized her dream, and now her story is being shadowed on the silver screen in a real-life drama in the Meryl Streep Noun 1. Meryl Streep - United States film actress (born in 1949) Streep movie ``Music of the Heart.'' ``The discipline she requires and the intense desire she had is a huge reflection of me,'' said Spula, a 41-year-old West Los Angeles
The script follows New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of violin teacher Roberta Guaspari, played by Oscar-winner Streep, and her efforts to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. a love of music in
her students at an East Harlem elementary school.
``She was so intense about starting a program,'' Spula said. ``That's a desire that you are born with. ``Her confidence was intriguing,'' Spula added, bashful bash·ful adj. 1. Shy, self-conscious, and awkward in the presence of others. See Synonyms at shy1. 2. Characterized by, showing, or resulting from shyness, self-consciousness, or awkwardness. in realizing she was intermingling her own experiences with Guaspari's. ``She knew she would be good.'' Spula said she came to a similar point last year when she set out to create a combined symphony for all Hart District students. Her efforts were fed by the string programs offered at most elementary and junior high schools in the Santa Clarita Valley. But, until last year, there was no high school program. ``My students were leaving me,'' Spula said. ``There was nowhere for them to go.'' Spula said she was driven by asimilar experience during her own school years. ``I could play but my sister couldn't,'' said Spula, adding that she played clarinet and was able to join the band but her sister - who played the violin - was not. ``I wasn't about to allow history to repeat itself,'' Spula said. ``Here I am as a teacher. I'm going to take care of it.'' Spula began playing the piano at 8, then picked up the clarinet in school and began playing in symphonies before she was 10. She eventually studied at the Crane School of Music The Crane School of Music is located in Potsdam, New York, and is one of three schools which make up the State University of New York (SUNY) at Potsdam. Crane consists of approximately 630 undergraduate and 30 graduate students and a faculty of 70 teachers and professional in New York before beginning a master's program at the University of Buffalo. But through her desire to learn more about music came her passion to teach. She's been at Placerita for 14 years and her determination to teach music is stronger than ever. ``This is the time you shape and mold,'' she said. ``You can truly influence their lives.'' Though her work requires endless patience, she never appears ruffled ruf·fle 1 n. 1. A strip of frilled or closely pleated fabric used for trimming or decoration. 2. A ruff on a bird. 3. a. A ruckus or fray. b. Annoyance; vexation. 4. . ``When I come to work, I have a purpose,'' Spula said. Spula uses this remarkable restraint to draw the best from her students. ``You always have the potential to go higher,'' Spula said, repeating lines she often reminds her students. ``I want to get the best of to gain an advantage over, whether fairly or unfairly. - Milton. See also: Best of them.'' Teaching comes naturally to this aggressive, fun-loving woman who smiles often and speaks softly. ``This is something that I'm very pleased about,'' she said. ``My students are making music part of their lives.'' Her face is animated as she stands in cowboy boots and jeans, facing her charges and waving her silver baton, conducting the music she's worked hard and long to hear. ``Everybody has a passion,'' said Spula. ``This is something that will always be with me.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Kathryn Spula conducts the symphony. (2 -- color) Kathryn Spula leads the SCV SCV Santa Clarita Valley (California) SCV Sons of Confederate Veterans SCV Santa Clara Vanguard SCV Singapore Cable Vision SCV Special Category Visa (Australia) SCV StarHub Cable Vision Young Artists Symphony in rehearsal at Placentia Junior High School. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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