As World War II ended Bob entered the 1st grade at McKinley School in San Jose . The number one song on the Hit Parade included these apropos lyrics…“Kiss me once & kiss me twice & kiss me once again…It’s been a long, long time.” The troops were coming home and the post war Baby Boom, which would have such an impact on our nation, would now begin. Bob’s unofficial beginning as a musician began as he entered the 5^th grade. It was then that Bob’s parents bought him his first musical instrument. They paid $35 for a C Melody Saxophone. The problem was that this particular saxophone could only play music that was written for an oboe. Learning to read oboe music, at this early age, would come in very handy years later when Bob entered college with music as his major.

When he finally got a saxophone that played saxophone music Bob began making great strides under Eldridge Clark, his first real music teacher. By this time he had transferred to the Cupertino Union School . Built in 1921 on the corner of Stevens Creek Blvd. and El Vista, this school was torn down in 1958. This of course was also the same year that Cupertino High School was born, September 15^th, 1958 to be exact.

At FHS Bob’s musical career flourished under the directorship of the school marching band director Doug Harville. In addition to the marching band Bob played in the orchestra as well as the school Pep Band. By 1956 Rock & Roll Music had arrived on the national musical scene. Quickly many Rock songs began to reach the top ten song list. This led to the demise of the TV HIT PARADE. No way could the HIT PARADE regular performers like Snooky Lanson or Dorothy Collins do justice to recordings made by popular by Elvis Presley, the Everley Brothers or Rock & Roll groups like The Platters. The teenagers of that time wouldn’t stand for it. They instead began watching Dick Clark’s American Band Stand to see the real thing and to also see the latest dance steps.

In sports Bob went out for track where his specialties were the 100 and 220 yard dashes. His Senior year (1957) Bob was honored for his musical career at Fremont High School by being named the school’s Outstanding Music Student. Presenting the award to him was FHS’s Student Activities Director George Fernandez. Ten years later Fernandez, by then the Principal of CHS, would hire Bob as director of the Cupertino High School Pioneer Marching Band. Bob would have a tough act to follow. Rocco DiStasio, was one of the school’s most popular teachers during his seven year tenor as head of the school’s music department. His students had even nominated him for “The Most Popular Teacher in California Award”.

In Bob’s final year at FHS the Fremont Band director, Doug Harville encouraged Bob to begin thinking about majoring in music when he went to college. One problem that had to be solved was that to enter a college music major one had to have expertise with a musical instrument. Bob was truly an expert at playing the saxophone. However, in 1957 the saxophone was not accepted as a music major instrument at San Jose State . He now began a crash course in learning how to play the oboe. He chose the oboe because of those early days of reading oboe music with his C Melody Sax. This fortunately gave him a good head start in learning how to play the oboe. He not only had to demonstrate he could play the oboe but, because it was his music major instrument, he had to play it very well.

When Bob entered San Jose State in 1957 the school was simply referred to as “State” throughout the state of California . This would change, though, as other California State colleges began to open. Students came from all over the western United States . An especially large contingent came from southern California . The student population was about 10,000 and it was definitely not a commuter college. The campus had beautiful ivy covered buildings with red tile roofing. Unfortunately much of this got torn down during the 1960s when the campus was modernized. One of the sole survivors of this of this original campus today is the SJS Tower Building . Students in the 1950s lived in housing close by the campus in boarding houses or apartments. Large numbers of fraternities and sororities were also options for student lodging. Most of these were located on 11^th Street , which was known as “Greek Row”.

Bob immediately became immersed in the music world of SJS. Upon entering San Jose State he once again arrived at a school where a new leader was coming in. Roger Muzzy now made his debut as the new San Jose State Spartan Marching Band director. This musical organization had been somewhat of a joke prior to his arrival. This would all change, with Muzzy in charge. He had formerly been at the University of Wisconsin . The Badger Marching Band had just recently wowed the entire nation with a stunning halftime show at the New Years Rose Bowl game. Among other things, near and dear to my heart in this show, the entire band sang the Wisconsin alma mater acappella. They also did it in four part harmony to boot.

Under Roger Muzzy the SJS Band’s half time shows at football games became big, precise, dashing, brassy extravaganzas. Because of the physical demands of the marching routines, being on the band became a very athletic endeavor. Bob was proud to be right in the middle happily playing his sax. The Spartan Band was now the equal to and even better in some respects when compared to the Stanford or Cal marching bands. Band members relished performing at football half times and going head to head against these bands. All of this made a deep impression on Bob. All of this he would remember and instill so successfully in future years as the director and inspirational leader of music at Cupertino High.

While at San Jose State Bob met the girl of his dreams Yvonne Tomasena. Bob and Yvonne first met in the music department of San Jose State where both of them were music majors. Their formal introduction came as a result of both of them taking part in an opera workshop. In the opera La Boheme, Yvonne was singing the part of Musetta and Bob was in the orchestra pit playing the oboe.(his official music major instrument). In the second act Yvonne, as Musetta, threw a plate to the floor, which according to the script, was supposed to break into small pieces. Instead the whole plate bounced off the edge of the stage and, as fate would have it, hit Bob square on the head. This led to introductions between Yvonne and Bob. Bob liked what he saw and asked Yvonne for a date. This would lead to going steady and Bob giving Yvonne his Phi Mu Alpha fraternity pin. Before you knew it they were engaged. Shortly after both Bob and Yvonne graduated from San Jose State they got married. The ceremony took place at St. Martin Church on June 30, 1962. Yes, they just recently celebrated their 45^th wedding anniversary.

Very shortly after being deferred from the draft Bob received even more great news. His wife Yvonne was going to have a baby. On February 16,1964 Yvonne and Bob became the proud parents of Erica Leigh. Erica tipped the scales at 6 lbs. 7 ounces, she was 19 inches long, had strawberry blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. She was most definitely the apple of her daddy’s eye and still is, to this very day.

In the fall of 1964 Bob got his first job as a high school band director. Bob accepted this position at newly opened Leigh High School . Bob quickly had the band shaped up. The precise marching and musicianship displayed at football game half time shows impressed the entire Leigh student body and faculty. As the band competed with other high school bands in parades it also impressed the parade judges. The band trophy case soon was well stocked. Students were proud to be a part of the Leigh Longhorn Marching. Band. Naturally the number of students wanting to be in the band grew by leaps and bounds. Does this sound familiar?

In addition to the school orchestra and band Bob also directed two Leigh High School musical productions. “Annie Get Your Gun” was a great success in his first year at Leigh High School . “Bye Bye Birdie” was even a bigger success his second and last year at Leigh. Both productions involved large numbers of enthusiastic and talented students and got rave notices. Bob enjoyed his time at Leigh. The students were great, the faculty was excellent and the school principal, Stuart Fowler; was an expert at school funding. Therefore the band and the entire music program at Leigh High School had the best that money could buy. Unbeknownst to Bob two Cupertino faculty members had also been very impressed by Bob’s achievements at Leigh. First and foremost they loved the Leigh Marching Band. They were also very impressed by his direction of the only musical they saw, “Bye Bye Birdie”. They made a full report their findings to CHS principal George Fernandez. His ace in the hole for luring Bob away from Leigh was money. At that time the Fremont Union High School District had the highest pay scale for teachers in the entire Santa Clara Valley .

But as we all know now even bigger and better things were in store for Robert Lee Gomez. Destiny would now lead him to Cupertino High School . In our next installment we’ll deal with all the particulars of how he came to CHS and learn about the musical dynasty he created at “ Cupertino High School …The Home of the Powerful Pioneers”. You’ll get the full story of the “MUSIC MAN OF CUPERTINO HIGH” and the impact he had on the hundreds of faculty colleagues he taught with and the thousands of students he inspired during his distinguished 34 years as a teacher at Cupertino High School . If you have not already sent me your personal memories of Mr. Bob Gomez it’s not to late. I am now in the process of putting together the inspirational story of his tenor at Cupertino High. I’d very much like you to be part of that narrative. It could be one word or an essay. Send it to me at 2boggies@gmail.com…Mr. Bill Boggie