Play that funky music: A chat with Mr. Buffington

By Jordan Lichtenwalner & Amanda Passiglia

It was Wednesday, November fifth. Amanda and I walked into the band room, and took a seat. At that moment, Mr. Buffington, LAHS band director, was hosting vocal auditions for jazz band. Being actively involved with students is what he does best.

“It’s something that I loved growing up,” said Mr. Buffington about why he chose to get into music education and band. “My band director in high school was a big inspiration, and I just wanted to experience what she was able to experience with us.”

As you may know, the band takes trips to other states, so we asked Mr. Buffington if he had any bad experiences while traveling. A few years ago the band went to Nashville, Tennessee, and got stuck in the airport on their way home, due to ice storms.

Mr. Buffington claimed being a band director has changed him personally, as he told us it has made him more organized.

“It’s made me understand how people work, and how they interact with each other. It’s brought an appreciation to what a group of people can create,” he explained.

It is obvious that Mr. Buffington takes great pleasure in his work as he said his favorite part of being a director is sharing memories and experiences with the students and watching them grow into young adults.

“I love what I do,” he said. “The interaction with the students and being able to create music each year--it’s exciting.”