Sounds from our Past

Recordings on this page made by Jim Ficklin while a student at Alamosa High.

Remember how as soon as it got dark, we tuned our radios to AM 1520, KOMA in Okalahoma City? It was rock and roll through and through with wild and crazy disc jockeys, tons of contests, and of course, the famous KISSING TONE! Click play on the players below and remember.

KOMA Kissing Tone

Some KOMA DJ Sillyness and One of the Many Contests

Here's a clip from a panel discussion on dating (I think) which I believe was held one evening in Mr. Blasi's classroom. I no longer remember who was speaking, but this clip would seem to indicate that to some of the girls at least Basketball was more important than heavy dating. Anyone remember this? or know who is speaking?

Clip from a panel discussion on dating.

Choir

With Mr. Hillock at the helm we did a couple of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, choir trips and many other performances. Here are some selections from them. Unfortunately, I only have programs for a few of these so I'm not positive I've got who played each part right... if I've got someone wrong, please let me know so I can fix it. If you have a request for something you want to hear from choir, and I've got it on tape, I'll be glad to put it up here. Just let me know.

Pirates of Penzance

We did this one in 1959 and even though we were only Sophomores our class was pretty well represented in the cast, but mostly in the chorus.

I Am A Pirate King - John Phillips with Pirate Chorus

Poor Wandering One - Carolyn Cook with Girls Chorus

I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General - Charles Asay and Mens Chorus

In 1960 our next operetta was on a bit grander scale. We had a small orchestra instead of just piano, bigger set and grander costumes.

The Mikado

Our class was again well represented in the cast including 3 leads. If you were involved you will remember that everyone in the cast received a japanese fan early in the year with instructions to practice opening and closing it one-handed until we could do it flawlessly in our sleep. I'm sure any one of us could instantly open a japanese fan one-handed to this day.

Leads: Mikado, Tom Miyake; Koko, Charles Asay; Pooh Bah, John Phillips; Nanki Poo, Frank Newton; Pish Tush, Walt Gomez; Yum Yum, Carolyn Cook; Katisha, Linda Chappell; Pitti Sing, Jeanette Stribling; Peep Bo, Karen Lough.

If You Want to Know Who We Are - Men's Chorus

Our Great Mikado - Walt Gomez and Men's Chorus

Three Little Maids From School Are We - Carolyn Cook, Karen Lough, Jeanette Stribling and Girls Chorus

Mi-A Sa-ma - Tom Miyake, Linda Chappell and Chorus

In our senior year the choir performed an unusual piece based on a 1927 collection of poems by James Weldon Johnson mixed with music in the mood of the negro spiritual.

God's Trombones

Again, I have no printed program from this performance and now can't remember who all the soloests were. Perhaps you still have a program. If so, please share a copy with me and I'll add more details to this page. Here are several exerpts from "God's Trombones" from 1961.

God's Trombones - Come Here Lord

God's Trombones - I Know the Lord

God's Trombones - Fire!

God's Trombones - In That Great Gettin' Up Morning

Also in our senior year we did a folk-opera in one act by composer Kurt Weill and librettist Arnold Sundgaard. Such a tragic story. Brack Weaver, a teenager, falls in love with a girl, Jennie, after an Appalachian prayer meeting. But her father wants her to go to a dance with his shyster creditor, Thomas Bouché, who the father thinks will bail him out of his money troubles. Jennie disobeys and goes to the dance with Brack. At the dance, the villain gets drunk and threatens the hero with a knife. The two fight, the villain dies (by his own weapon), and Brack is condemned to be hanged. On the night before his execution, he escapes to spend his last hours with Jennie, before turning himself in to meet his fate.

Down in the Valley

Again, I don't have a copy of the printed program and no longer remember it well enough to know who did the parts. If you have a program, please share it with me. Here's an excerpt from the beginning of the opera.

Down in the Valley - Opening few Minutes

In 1961 the choir went on tour to Colorado Springs and Boulder. We sang at Cheyenne Mountain High School, Shove Chapel at Colorado College and the School of Music at University of Colorado (Mr. Hillock's Alma Mater).

Shove Chapel - Choir Tour 1961

The concert at Shove Chapel was recorded. The numbers performed here were more serious works. Here are three of them. The guest organist is Ben Gahart.

Kyrie Eleison

Sweet Little Jesus Boy - soloist: Jeannette Stribling Bell

The Last Words of David

Band

Under the direction of J.T. Buchanan the band played parades, games, concerts, graduation, etc. Unfortunately, since I wasn't in band, I don't have many recordings of it. I do, however, have a recording of the Winter Band Concert of Jan. 11, 1961. Here's three selections from that concert.