The band played on: Papa Reber’s Capital Christian group dazzled live in Sacramento
He goes by “Pops” or “Papa Reber,” a gregarious giver of his time and of his music.
And he looks the part of all of it.
Jim Reber is a bear of a man with a shock of gray hair and a goatee who tends to waddle more than he bounds along. He was in his element in a folding chair on Friday night in East Sacramento, conducting the 36-member Capital Christian high school band. The soothing sound of live music with the backdrop of the setting sun peeking over and through trees drew parents for this farewell to 2020 event. Neighbors stopped by to take in the fun.
It was the band’s first performance as a full unit since late February, before the coronavirus pandemic swept in like an unwanted guest and shuttered schools and businesses and reduced lives to a crawl. The band had its spring trip to Disneyland canceled due to the shutdown. Reber showcased groups of 10 or 12 of his band members in spring gatherings in parks near and far, but it wasn’t the same as being together whole. This night was also an awards night of sorts, a celebration of unity music.
Papa Reber led that charge, too. He unwrapped a package that included a trophy that read, “Best Band, COVID-19, 2020.” He also handed out a number of awards for his musicians. It all drew a chorus of applause and laughter. Reber took requests from his band members, from “Rock Lobster” to “Sweet Caroline.”
And to adhere to the 8 p.m. Sacramento curfew for that night after a rash of looting dulled the otherwise peaceful protests from the George Floyd death at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day, Reber was sure to end the concert by 7:45 p.m. That left plenty of time for people to socialize and gulp down cupcakes.
“Papa Reber is just incredible, a teacher above and beyond, and you can see he loves the kids as much as they love him,” said Shelley Anselmi, whose sophomore-to-be son, Matthew, has been musically mentored by Reber since the third grade. “We feel so fortunate to know him. This was such a treat.”
The homeowners of this 4,000-square-foot home in the Fab 40s neighborhood are Paul and Melanie Lavery. The youngest of their three children is Joshua, who plays trumpet.
“When Pops asked if the kids could perform here, well, you just say yes to Pops,” Paul Lavery said with a laugh. “This is such a nice change of pace. The kids needed this. We needed this.”
Papa Reber was a career tax man, working 35 years for the Franchise Tax Board before jumping full bore into music. He has played music for 33 years at the Capital Christian Center church and has been that school’s band director for 11 years. He’s hooked, so much so that Reber never takes his band out without bringing his own trumpet.
Reber has long championed extracurricular activities, knowing what they can do to a student’s development and experiences. He watched his own children excel in athletics at Capital Christian. His son, Justin, is a longtime area football coach, now heading the Rio Linda High program. Justin years ago stuck his dad with the nickname of Pops, which later became Papa.
“This is my calling,” Reber said during a five-minute break, peering out at his students and a sea of horns, trumpets, drums, guitars, saxophones and clarinets. “I want to build generations of music because it can be a lifelong thing.”
Reber added, “There are two things I learned during the shutdown. One, I can’t retire. I love this. Second, this gives us all life and joy. We celebrate life, the joy of music, the joy of being together. Look at their faces, all smiling, all having a good time.”
This included the beaming parents.
“Papa Reber means so much to my family and, in the absence of any extended family in this country, Pops is a surrogate grandparent or crazy uncle,” said Tracey Donlan, who has two children that have been in the Capital Christian band since the third grade. “The band is a reflection of Papa Reber – fun, outgoing, serious about their music and their mission. A crazy fun group of talented musicians.”
Donlan’s daughter, Bridget, plays first-chair flute and piccolo. She is a junior with a straight-A report card. She also plays volleyball and basketball. Bridget’s brother, Nick, is the bulky kid who plays baritone and competes in basketball and volleyball. The oldest Donlan kid is a man now. That’s Matt, a 2012 Capital Christian graduate who plays professional basketball in Australia.
This band is also a mix of diversity, reflective of its campus and all of Sacramento. There are scholars and epic scholars, including Scott Frizzell, a senior-to-be who carries a 4.5 grade-point average, tops in his class. He aspires to be an engineer. He plays the clarinet, among other instruments.
“Papa Reber means a lot to us,” Frizzell said. “He checked on all of us during the shutdown, asked us how we were doing, played music with us any way he could. I’ll definitely remember today and this group.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.