From Eastern Europe to the classroom, Abel Dragomir has set extraordinary examples for what music appreciation and an exemplary choir looks like. He has taught in the music program for 15 years; 11 at Ridge, and four at Desert Winds Elementary. He has impacted many lives at MRHS by helping, supporting, and teaching amazing kids who could have a future in music. But no one just starts out teaching. Turns out, when Dragomir was in high school, he was in a band in Romania, where he grew up.
But it seems that Dragomir isn’t the only one in his family that loves music, as almost his whole family does too. His brother started playing piano when he was just 6, making Dragomir 2 years old. But music runs in the bloodline so it wasn’t just him and his brother who are into music. His wife and children are into music too. They all have amazing talent and play many instruments. “My wife is a band director and my kids, they all play piano.” Dragomir said.
Speaking of amazing talents, the Chorus class of 2025 pulled off an amazing superior with distinction. While other schools also did in fact get superior with distinction, the MRHS Chorus class pulled just a few points over in the assessment. “This is one of the best beginning choirs I’ve had, getting superior with distinction,” Dragomir said to his class after the May 7th concert.
Music is incorporated into everyone’s lives, whether they sing, dance, are in band, or just listen to their favorite songs on repeat. Dragomir says, “I don’t know what I would do without music in my life. It is a big part of my life and has helped me in many ways.” Chorus student, Lacey Kelly said, “I tend to use music to express myself and for others to show how they are feeling and Mr. Dragomir has not only helped me become a better singer aesthetically but also emotionally. He really does push his students to be the best they can in many different aspects of singing as a whole.”
As we slowly but surely come to the end of the school year, we sadly exit with food, better songs, lessons, new friendships, and talented, astonishing seniors who are honored by Chorus and Lioness and honor Dragomir as a whole. The 2025 Banquet on Thursday, May 8th, Dragomir commented in a speech, “This group of students have had a huge impact on choir as a whole and they have changed my perspective on choir.” Now as we wrap up the year, we say our goodbyes to the gifted seniors in Honor Choir, and we say our hellos to the new year, with more Lioness students joining and more skillful past Chorus and Lioness students joining into Honor Choir for the next few years, concerts, banquets, and many more practices to come. And I am proud to say that I will be with Lioness as a sophomore, as I was doing Chorus this year, and soon, will move up to Honor Choir. I think everyone needs a music director like Abel Dragomir, as he has inspired so many and will continue to for many years at MRHS.
