For years, music has been the heart and soul of Walter Boldt.
After 42 years of teaching, Boldt is trading in his conductor's baton and retiring.
Boldt started his teaching career in Bonnyville in 1975, after accepting a position that included Fort Kent, Duclos, Iron River, and Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS).
“There was a superintendent named Steve Skuba who was persuaded to hire a teacher if a group of people called the Bonnyville Band Boosters would find the money to pay for the whole program,” explained Boldt.
As a fundraiser, the Bonnyville Band Boosters would host Bingo nights, but couldn't raise enough money in time to get the music program running.
It was at this time that Boldt got an idea. He knew that Bill Stonier, owner of Northwest Musical Services, was passionate about music in the prairie provinces. With that in mind, Boldt ordered enough instruments for the whole program, even though they didn't have any money to offer.
“He asked me how I wanted to pay for it, and I told him the reality is, we had no money,” Boldt said. “He paused for a minute and said, ‘okay, how do you think you're going to do this?' My response was that there was a parent organization that was doing a Bingo and they were quite certain they could pay it off in a year.”
A week and a half later, just before school started, Stonier showed up with 120 instruments.
“These were not used instruments, they were brand new. The Bonnyville Band Boosters kept up with the Bingo and it took them nine months and they had it all paid,” reflected Boldt.
A few years later, Boldt moved his family to Spruce Grove where he continued teaching music.
“Unfortunately, I think the band program (in Bonnyville) died within a year after I left,” Boldt described.
At the age of 55, he retired from his position in Spruce Grove, and quickly realized he wasn't quite ready. Teaching part-time, he knew he needed to do something.
Browsing the Education Canada website, Boldt came across a post by Northern Lighs Public Schools. It was for his old position as a music teacher for HEB and BCHS.
The current teacher was on maternity leave, and they were looking to fill her position.
For the time being, a teacher well-known to Boldt was running the program.
“I never did see him as much of a musician, but he was carrying the program. I came and arranged with him that I would just watch and see whether this was something I wanted to do,” Boldt explained. “I was incognito in the beginning of class, but it didn't take too long because John did a piece or two before he asked me to take over.”
Boldt pushed the kids to the limit, and quickly saw the potential. Soon after, he applied for the position.
However, he wasn't the only one eyeing up the job. Boldt had competition.
Part of the interview included conducting a class with the high school students. After they had a chance to see both teachers in action, the principal turned to her students and asked which one they liked best.
“That was really interesting, to have the kids choose who they wanted to teach them,” expressed Boldt.
Although Boldt intimidated the students, they knew he would give them the best learning experience.
“I've had seven years here. They've been good years, challenging, but good,” he noted.
In 2012, Boldt founded the Bonnyville Community Band, and will also be stepping down from his role with the group.
With retirement on the horizon at the age of 67, Boldt is ready to change gears.
He said he plans on volunteering as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, something he has done in the past.
Since the age of five, Boldt has been involved in music, and doesn't plan on changing that any time soon. Once he's retired, he hopes to try taking on the role of a curator or judge for music festivals.
When asked if he could play every musical instrument there is, he laughed and pointed out one instrument in particular he struggles with.
“Everybody and his dog seems to be able to play guitar, but when I play it just doesn't sound like a guitar player,” he said. “I know guitar, I know the chords and how to strum. In fact, I taught guitar here, but as far as playing the guitar, it just doesn't feel natural to me.”
As he steps down from his teaching career, he wants to remind his students and the community that music is more than just the sound of instruments coming together.
“Music is a very important part of a person's life, whether you're listening to it or performing it,” he expressed. “There is a joy in performing music that you don't get by just listening to it. Everybody listens to music, but it takes a special kind of person to perform it.”
Boldt believes that although hockey and rodeo are strong aspects of the Bonnyville area, music plays just as instrumental of a role.
“There are different areas of a community that are known as the life of the community. Not all have music as the life of the community, but a community without music is missing something.”
