Award – Cherry Creek Hall of Fame
- Oct 28, 2024 by Aaron
- Award and Honors, Press
- 3 Comments
On Thursday October 24, I had the distinct honor and pleasure of returning to Colorado to be inducted into the Cherry Creek High School School Hall of Fame.
I, alongside nine other fascinating CCHS alumni and faculty from the classes of 1964, ’73, ’74, ’89, ’92, ’93, ’96 were feted to a wonderful evening with videos, speeches, and a touch of music.
On Friday, I spent the morning and early afternoon at the high school with budding young musicians of AP Theory and advanced band and strings, where I played and talked about music in life and a life in music. TY CCHS Music Faculty Sarah Branton & Jennifer Poole for organizing.
Read an article about the event in the Union Street Journal HERE
To say that I am honored by this recognition is to say too little.
I came to classical music at age 16, with most of my HS friends not knowing I was a professional musician until social media.
My main focus in HS was speech & debate, sports, a few illegal things, and surviving.
That said, there are people that helped keep me from falling and inspired me to look at what made me in life.
I am grateful to my English teacher Yael Abrahamsson who saw that I just needed some one on one to learn to write good 
Spanish teacher Carlos ‘Chuck’ Tadlock whisked me away to Costa Rica on a summer exchange program, though he knew my Spanish was pathetic. He and the group showed me that there are many ways to live in this world.
And though he wasn’t the teacher, my fate was sealed in a Spanish class when I saw a video of Segovia playing Asturias. “That’s the Doors!”
Music teacher Bill Erickson prodded me to read music and introduced ideas that I still use today in my teaching.
The late Bill Bradley held my feet to the fire and explained that perfection is not by chance but by learning the process and repeating it until learned.
Speech & Debate taught so many skills and introduced me to amazing people who are still friends. And I was 3rd in the State for Interpretation of Poetry!
All of these teachers and so many more planted the seeds that inspired me to move east and jump into a world of creation and of course, teaching.
I am forever grateful and will do my best to pass on the desire for a life of excellence to all.
Merci CCHS!
L-R: Dr. Neal Baer, ME, Peter Axelson, Matt Iseman; Row 2 L-R: Dr. Vince Pigott, Heather HIll, David Stallings, David Benson, Dr. Steven Butterman. Not Pictured: Heather Penny.
Retired music teacher Bill Erickson
Retired Spanish Teacher Carlos ‘Chuck’ Tadlock
Performing for CCHS string and band students
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Kit Ketcham
Congratulations, Aaron! So happy to know of your ongoing success!
Bill sano
Thanks so much for informing us of the honor. Congrats. You deserve it.
Bill. NEC 1972. M. M.
Leonard Caplan
Congratulations, Aaron! Well deserved!