Meet OLLI at TTU Instructor Larry Hess

By Daniel Johnson, Section Manager

Larry Hess is no stranger to current OLLI members, and he is also no stranger to popular music. He has studied it, taught it and performed it for several years. Hess received a bachelor's degree in music education from Texas Tech University and a master's degree in music performance from Wichita State University in Kansas. He then went on to work as a band director and administrator for Midland and Lubbock Independent School Districts. Alongside his career in the classroom, he also enjoyed a 30-year career with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Though he is now retired, he still plays percussion from time to time. Most recently in the Moonlight Musicals Orchestra for their June 2019 production of "Annie."

This fall will be Hess' sixth year teaching classes for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Texas Tech University. What began as a member attending OLLI classes led to a new opportunity to teach them!

"My first year of membership attending classes brought up a few questions. I directed those questions to Emma Carrasco the director of OLLI at TTU at that time. She encouraged me to submit an idea to teach a class myself," he said. "I have always been interested in all things musical, and I felt popular music was a topic I would enjoy knowing more about, and one that many others might enjoy sharing. I started teaching that next semester with 'Pop Music of the 20th Century,' an ambitious undertaking for 90 minutes. It was a disaster, but not so much that I wasn't invited to present again, and eventually in OLLI chapters across the state."

Hess teaches classes that are mostly about the story behind the song in a variety of genres and eras. He presents courses to OLLI at TTU chapters in Lubbock, Abilene, Fredericksburg and Highland Lakes.

This upcoming semester, Hess will be teaching "Popular Music of World War II" for OLLI at TTU, Lubbock and Abilene, and "Deck the Halls with OLLI: The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Songs" for OLLI at TTU, Fredericksburg and Highland Lakes.

While Hess enjoys speaking and teaching about the music, he mentions the OLLI members throughout the state that keep him coming back year after year.

"I enjoy the folks who attend my presentations. They wouldn't be there if they weren't interested in popular music, so they are 'my kind of people' and ready to have a good time with the music we love. Inevitably someone catches me after a presentation to tell me a personal story about 'being at Woodstock', or 'seeing the Beatles live in Dallas in the '60s, or 'my dad kicked Elvis out of our department store in Louisiana.' These experiences are priceless!"

Hess has truly enjoyed his time volunteering with OLLI at TTU, not only as a member and instructor, but he also served a term on the OLLI advisory board in Lubbock.

With his strong involvement throughout the OLLI at TTU program, he has a special message to anyone interested in joining or volunteering with OLLI at TTU.

"Whatever your relationship with education has been in the past, forget that. OLLI is about pursuing topics and interests you have right now or have had for years but have not had the time to devote to it. Everyone chooses to be in these classes, so you are very likely to enjoy the people who attend class with you as they share your interests," he said. "If you have a passion for a topic, and perhaps a bit of knowledge to share, offer to teach! OLLI is no better than the classes offered and is constantly trying to offer topics of greatest interest to the membership."