Houston, Texas probably boasts the premier music program in the U.S. now, says Crewe, and the emphasis put on its importance can‘t possibly be exaggerated. Teachers jobs are on the line if their kids don‘t measure up. Music is an elective and once an interested student has decided â€" after Grade 5 â€" which instrument they want to pursue, they are then fed a steady diet of lessons, practise and competition. By Grade 6, Crewe was playing where she found a nice balance between competitiveness and fun. "They‘ve always had a good proâ€" gram here," says Crewe. Even though the same Texan infrastructure is not in place and expectations here are perhaps not as Classical music was a regular backdrop at the Crewe home and young Janice took piano lessons. But it wasn‘t so much the home musical influence that molded her zest for music and her analytical eye and ear, but her school â€"more importantly, the location of that school inside the only state to have a paid music lobbyist at the Capitol. Janice Crewe doesn‘t remember her algebra class, but her music classâ€" es and competitions are vividly etched in her mind. By KATHY YANCHUS Oakville Beaver Staff Texan roots influence Crewe‘s musical style SPEED (AA) Not recommended for children, coarse language, violence, frightening scenes (Dolby Stereo) Eugs. 7:20 9:45. Sat. Sun. Mats. 2:00 4:15. No passes acceoted. o THE COWBOY WAY (AA) Coarse language WOLF (AA) Coarse Ianguage,}rightening scenes, violence (Dolby Stereo) Evgs. 6:45 9:15. Sat Sun Mats. 1:30 4:00. No passes accepted. s SCHINDLER‘S LIST (AA) Brutal violence, mature theme. Evas. 7:30. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:30. THE CROW (R) Brutal violence. Evgs. 7:15 9:30. violence. Evgs. 7:00 9:10. Sat. Sun. Mats 1:45. JURASSIC PARK (PG) Frightening scenes. Evgs T:00 8 9:20. Sat. Sun.Mats. 1:30. â€" â€" * CITY SLICKERS 2 (PG) (Dolby Stereo) Evgs. 7:10 9:30. Sat. Mat. 1:15 3:30 Sun. Mat. 1:15 only. See CITY SLICKERS at 1:15 on Sun., stay and see a special sneak preview of LITTLE BIG LEAGUE (subject to classification) at 3:30. See two movies for one admission price. FOUR WEDDINGS A FUNERAL (AA) Evgs 7:05 9:20. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:45. e BEVERLY HILLS COP 3 (R) Violence. Evgs. 7:20 9:30. Sat. Sun. Mats. 1:30. Mark Dubois is back! See him perform with us at the Oakville Waterfront Festival, Sunday, June 26, Lakeside Park, 2:00 p.m. That was Crewe‘s world until she met and married a man from her mom‘s hometown of Chatham. Her first job in Canada was in a small southwestern Ontario junior high where she taught 240 kids a day with 20â€"yearâ€"old instruments. It was a difâ€" ficult adjustment and Crewe lasted a year before reâ€"submitting her resume in the educational world. She wound up at Oakville Trafalgar High School where she found a nice balance between competitiveness and fun. "THE FUNNIEST MOVIE OF THE YE AR!" She was hired at a suburban junior high school in Texas as assistant band director, and subsequently, head band director. There were 1,200 students at the school and five fulltime music staff â€" two band directors, two choir directors and one orchestra director. the saxaphone "because I wanted to be in the jazz band." She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music, Teacher Education at the University of Houston while offering private lessons on the side, one year squeezâ€" ing in 40 private lessons a week. Putting on a great performance is a feeling that can‘t be duplicated, says Crewe, who emphasizes sightreading in her classes, a category in which her groups excelled during the recent Music Fest ‘94 competiâ€" tion in Toronto. Crewe teaches eight music classes spanning Grades 9 to 12 but is responsible for the wind ensemble (senior band) and concert band (grades 9 and 10) on an extracurricuâ€" lar basis. (The school also has a woodwind choir, percussion ensemâ€" ble, and senior and junior jazz bands) The committment for teacher and students is heavy she says. But along with being a strict time and practice schedule, it can be very rewarding. One of the reasons why many kids don‘t enjoy music is that they don‘t play the instrument properly and once their technique is corrected, the confidence and enjoyment fall into place, says Crewe. "I want them to understand what they‘re playing," she says. intense, Crewe "knows what kids are capable of" and sets high standards. The kids have come through with flyâ€" ing colors â€" gold and silver in fact â€" as since 1989 when Crewe arrived, the OT bands have not only competed more but brought home more medals. The OT kids are "very commitâ€" ted" musicians, says Crewe and run a number of fundâ€"raising activities prior to trips including leaf raking Oakville Trafalgar High School music teacher Janice Crewe has helped mold a successfulcompetitive musical program at the school. The stuâ€" dents have responded with flying colors â€" gold and silver mostly. Although Crewe herself doesn‘t compete anymore as a musician, she services, bingos and garage sales (Photo by Peter McCusker) keeps practising, being a member of a Ceili band in Guelph and studying the Irish bagpipes.