April 30, 2024 by Merrick Shea(‘27)
Everyone has had a favorite class. Some choose English class with books and writing fueling their minds, and others argue that their favorite class is math, with problem solving and crunching numbers being their passion. For Mr. Andrew Janack, music was his love.
Janack grew up in Galway, New York just outside of Saratoga. Galway is a smaller school compared to most in upstate New York. Some dislike smaller schools but for Janack it was perfect. He said, “It was good because I got to explore a lot in terms of sports and in music.”
Janack started to pursue music (specifically percussion) from an early age. He said, “Everyone in my family played percussion growing up. I was really encouraged to play percussion and my parents loved that I did.” This love for music that Janack’s entire family shared steered him down a path that was only fueled by his new band teacher Mr. Gary Barrows.
Barrows had only been teaching at Galway for a few years before he met the young Janack. Barrows said, “From what I remember he was a very good kid, and I had his older sister who was a saxophone player and I kind of just got to know the whole family.”
While under Barrows’ tutelage, Andrew found his passion. Barrows said, “For a while he was a trumpet player in the regular band, and he had played the drums in Jazz Band but somewhere in his high school years he decided to complete the switch over to drums entirely. He then continued to major and play the drums throughout college.” Janack credits Barrows with being the teacher that really got him started on the path to becoming a musician.
“I really wanted to be a music teacher when I got into early high school, but I didn’t read mallet notes too well. But I had an awesome band teacher that encouraged me and my professional playing,” Janack said. This love of music and the encouragement of Barrows along with his parents, Mr. Janack was sent out of college and into a professional career that would lead him to Saratoga Springs High School.
Janack had left college and had now embarked on the journey that would lead him to his teaching career. Janack had begun his professional percussionist career after college. He worked as timpanist or sometimes mallard percussionist in many pit orchestras that came from across the country to Saratoga for shows.
Janack said, “In my career I have played for about two dozen shows.” Of his favorite, he said, “My favorite show I have ever played for is West Side Story.” But although Janack enjoys playing professionally, it can be strenuous at times. He said, “You play a week’s worth of shows in one rehearsal.” He later added, “It’s really stressful because they only give you the music once prior to that one rehearsal.”
Although Janack has had a ton of fun doing percussion in the pit (which he continues to do to this day) he has made being a band teacher the highlight of his career.
“I really do enjoy conducting our symphonic band,” Janack mused, “with the Symphonic Band you’re on there, you’re the conductor.” After years of working in the pit on Broadway plays, it felt only right when he was selected to be the new conductor of the symphony for the school play. “I’m really excited to do the musical here for the first time,” said Janack. “I think it’s a great new opportunity.”
Janack has a great sense of humor, which is probably the reason he loves teaching high school kids. He laughed warmly and said, “Well the students are awesome.” In a more sentimental tone Janack added, “I did my student teaching here and, really, it just felt like home.” Thinking about his first days at Saratoga High School, Janack has inspired many students at Saratoga Springs High School in his time teaching here. One was a student named David Collins.
Collins is a freshman percussionist at Saratoga high school who has been under the private tutelage of Janack for some time. “I’ve had him as a teacher for about four years now. So, since about fifth grade.” Collins said that that was about how long he had known Janack. He loved being taught by Janack due to his expertise on percussion. “He’s a great teacher, definitely. He’s helped me grow, you know, as a percussionist cause he’s a professional and all,” said Collins.
David has also thought about becoming a band teacher himself at some point. “Yeah, I think it would be cool. But it’s not really something I’m thinking about right now.” Barrows passed off the torch to Janack and now Janack stirs up a love for music among many students at Saratoga Springs High School. It really shows the power of the bond between students and their teacher and how truly special it is that having good or bad teachers can help to determine entire lives.
Mr. Janack doesn’t just love being an amazing band teacher. He also has a major interest in marathon running. “I actually ran three marathons in the month of October to raise money for band equipment,” said Janack. He’s been running marathons for a while, and he loves the experience. “Afterward, I felt very accomplished because I felt like I was breathing really well throughout the race,” said Janack.
He has always pushed himself to the limit when it comes to marathons and music. As Janack said, “In the races, it’s just you against yourself.”