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By Joseph Cress, Sentinel Reporter, April 22, 2008

Last updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 1:21 PM EDT

A man who made a life out of music was thwarted by a conspiracy of silence.

The last tune of his final spring concert struck an emotional chord with Jeffrey Noble, band director at Boiling Springs High School.

The 61-year-old suspected a surprise from band members but thought it would be nothing more than alumni invited to wish him a fond farewell.

Noble plans to retire June 6 after 40 years in music education, all with South Middleton School District.

“It really meant something to me,” said Noble, reflecting on the high note of his Tuesday evening. “I had no idea.”

He could not have known student band leaders had commissioned a work of original music dedicated to him.

Noble saw Dr. John W. Jones in the audience, but thought his friend of almost 30 years was there to see the final concert. Little did he realize the Gettysburg music professor was in on the big secret as composer of “Boiling Springs,” a five-minute tribute to Noble’s career.

Noble went on with the show, moving to the sound of music as he motivated the young talent to play their hearts out.

Whether swinging the baton to Big Band jive or keeping precise time to a Sousa march, anyone could see the distinguished gentleman in the dark grey suit really loved his work.

At one point, he turned to the audience to thank everyone for their years of support. “It has been a good run,” he said.

Noble even joked about Tuesday’s primary: “After 40 years, I’ve figured out how to get a good crowd. Wait for an election night when there is nothing good on TV.”

Not quite over

And when the band finished the final tune on the program, Noble thought it was the end until he saw band member Emily Lefin walk up to the mic.

“You don’t think you were going to get away without getting something?” she asked. “We all love you and we’re going to miss you. We can’t thank you enough.”

Students showed their gratitude by presenting Noble a frame containing programs from his very first and very last spring concerts at the school.

The frame also contained part of the musical score for “Boiling Springs,” which was played for the first time in public Tuesday.

Lefin explained how the entire band managed to sneak out all of its instruments to conduct four secret rehearsals at Yellow Breeches Middle School.

A flute player, Lefin was drum major last year so she is used to giving directions. She asked Noble to leave the stage, take a seat with his wife Joanne and enjoy the tribute.

Partway through the tune, band members sang the Alma Mater including the words “Hail to you, Mr. Noble, at Boiling Springs!”

When the salute was over, the capacity crowd honored Noble with a standing ovation before heading to the cafeteria for a farewell reception.

Not easy

Noble said his decision to leave was not easy. Most teachers retire after 35 years, but he was not ready and stayed on for another five years.

He finally convinced himself it was time to move and try other thing while he still had his health. Noble plans to take an entire year off to travel, ski, golf and play his favorite instruments — the clarinet and saxophone.

Noble said he may give private lessons, but not carry too busy of a schedule.

He commended South Middleton school officials for staying true to tradition and investing in music instead of reducing its programs in the face of growing pressure on school districts to have students score high on assessment tests.

Lefin said Noble can be very strict, but only because he really cares about his students and wants them to do their best. “He has done amazing things,” she said.

She added a large number of students knew the secret, but no one “spilled the beans” on a conspiracy that started last spring.

Lefin describes Noble as a very modest teacher who hates receiving recognition.

Band leaders knew Noble was about to celebrate his 40th spring concert so they wanted to do something special for him, Lefin said.

Secret plan

They got a tip from Mark Romig, an elementary school music teacher, that Noble is good friends with Jones so five students visited the professor at Gettysburg College.

Their logic was Jones would know what would work best for Noble. The Sentinel reached Jones by e-mail prior to the evening concert.

The request was the first time in his 20 years of composing music on commission that a group of students commissioned a work, Jones wrote, adding: “It is clear they value Jeff’s many years of dedication to music education and their fondness for him as a person.”

Since Jones shares Noble’s passion for concert marches, he arranged the high school Alma Mater as a march and included a brief solo for clarinet.

“He has played in my jazz group The Buzz Jones Big Band since the early 1980s,” Jones said of Noble. “Jeff is the consummate music educator and leads one of the finest high school programs in the region. He will be missed by his fellow teachers and students.”

Freshman Virginia Masland, a tenor saxophone player, felt honored to play the final tribute for Noble. She will miss not having him as a teacher through graduation.

Senior Adam Schoeller, 17, thought it was cool to play “Boiling Springs” for Noble. “He was always down to business and strict with me,” Adam said. “He is a good teacher.”

“Mr. Noble is exactly the same, a constant,” said Adam’s mother Laurie Schoeller, who had Noble as a band teacher from 1976 to 1980. “This was a tribute to him and what he has done for them.”