Mitzi Mecham has 450 kids.

Well, actually "only" nine of them are REALLY hers; the rest are on temporary loan to her.

As the very proud owner (along with her husband, Bob Hall) of the ever-expanding and always-in-demand Music n' Me ( http://www.notesmusicnme.com ) music schools -- in both Hailey (310 S. 1st Avenue/788-3348), and now also in Ketchum's Light Industrial Center (10th Street Industrial Center, #A-15 -- directly across from the Boulder Mt. Clayworks/ 720-3918), Mecham has A LOT of young charges to look out for!!

"It DOES get a bit exhausting sometimes," Mecham told me recently, as we were touring their large and well-stocked music school there in Hailey. "But ya know what? I really, really love what I do -- and these kids are absolutely the best; THE BEST!!!"

To some extent anyway, these two Wood River Valley music schools -- and also the couple's Notes Music Store in Hailey (108 N. Main Street, right next to the Liberty Theatre/ 788-2496), which both Mecham and Hall staff (as well as some of their kids -- and also their 10-month-old Great Dane, Max) -- might seem a verrrry odd and unlikely departure for a gal who comes for a long line of Mountain Home-area cattle ranchers.

But then again, the (music-oriented) hours are long, the challenges and frustrations seemingly countless and incessant and sometimes even insurmountable, and the money ... ummm, errrr ... not all that great, so maybe it WASN'T such an "odd" and "unlikely" departure from Idaho ranching life, afterall.

"I won't lie: There have definitely been some times in the past where a parent has let loose on me for one reason or another, or we've had a bunch of outstanding tuition payments due, or there've been problems with this facility or that facility, or with a particular teacher or student, or something ELSE has happened, and I've finally thought to myself: 'Just quit beating yourself up Mitzi and give it a rest!!' But then one of the students'll come in and start playing this incredibly beautiful and amazing piece of music that absolutely makes your heart ache with joy and elation, and you suddenly feel like the luckiest person on this planet to be here in this moment and this place, with these extraordinary people!"

And that list of "extraordinary people" -- which started with a mere 40 students or so and just a few part-time teachers some eight years ago -- has now blossomed into
something approximating a Boise Rock School, or (Manhattan's world-renowned) High School of Performing Arts, or even a "Glee" of sorts, if you will -- with some 450 very accomplished and inspiring students, and scores of similarly very accomplished and inspiring teachers, whose specialities run the gambit from piano to keyboards to percussion and to vocals ... everyone from local Freehand ( http://www.myspace.com/musicbyfreehand ) band members Aaron Pugh, Sheryll Mae Grace, Ray Brown and Joel Adams, to Valley faves such as Kim Stocking, Chip Booth, Will Caldwell, Tom Nash and Finn Riggins composer, guitarist and singer Lisa Simpson (who taught periodically at the Music n' Me Hailey school when she still lived in the Wood River Valley -- Simpson lives in Boise now, with husband and fellow Finn Riggins member, Eric Gilbert -- but who's been known to still put in an appearance there, now and again, whenever she, Gilbert and fellow Finn Riggins member, Hailey native Cameron Bouiss, are revisiting the area).

Local bands, including FourStroke Bus, The Cosmic Beans and The Kim Stocking Band often use one or both of the music school facilities to practice in (the Ketchum school has a very convenient -- and much-appreciated -- "upstairs crash pad," complete with a lovely private bathroom and large, comfortable bed that visiting musicians and bands from outside the Valley have been known to take advantage of on occasion).

And now Mecham's Music 'n Me empire has a 4-H Club connection as well.

Encouraged and supported by Amanda Kumiko Kent, associate extension educator for the University of Idaho's Blaine County Extension Office, Mecham recently began a  4-H Performing Arts program that's open to kids of all ages and musical ranges that will provide, among many other things, various school credits for the hours they put in at her music academies.

And this summer, Music n' Me will hold its first-ever three-day "Music in the Mountains" campout program, in the SNRA's Cathedral Pines campground. Geared toward older music students, the class will be taught by former Plum-TV co-host, Broadway performer and acclaimed L.A. drummer Tom Nash, and will include, among other things, instruction on how to make music videos. "Tom Nash does everything, EVERYTHING for me; he's absolutely incredible and invaluable to me!!," Mecham said without hesitation.

Music n' Me also sponsors various "Diva (day) Camps"in the SNRA during the summer as well -- for younger music students who likewise are very eager to learn but who maybe aren't quite ready for camping out in the wilderness just yet.

Hank and Heather Minor's other Apple's Bar & Grill (located in Ketchum's Light Industrial Center) has been another terrific (and greatly-appreciated) outlet for musical creativity during the summer months for Mecham's many Music 'n Me students as well, as the owners often offer that summer-only bar & grill to Mecham for various concerts the students want to hold there.

Hailey's The Wicked Spud on Friday nights during the summer offers a very similar arrangement -- allowing various Music n' Me students a chance to perform onstage before a live audience and otherwise get used to the limelight.

"It's very much a self-esteem thing for them," Mecham explained to me, herself a very gifted (but terribly shy -- even in front of her own husband) pianist. "Getting these kids used to working in a group dynamic on a regular basis is very, very important for their development."

But Mecham noted that "development" as they grow up often comes at a price. Endlessly eager grade-school students who maybe ONLY were excited about her afterschool music programs are suddenly much more interested with sports and/or dating and/or cruising around in their first car when they hit junior high or high school.

"It's really hard sometimes watching 'em grow up so fast before your eyes, "Mecham said, her own eyes welling up with tears as she said it. "I mean obviously you always HOPE that they WILL still be very excited and passionate about their music when they grow up. But at the same time you do have to acknowledge the fact that there IS this whole other world out there BESIDES music that they want to -- and should --  experience as well."

Mecham said the music teachers who don't survive at her schools are the ones whose schedues are intractable. "You CAN'T NOT be flexible with these kids -- period! You're competing with skiing and swimming and all these other (sports- and non-sports-oriented) things out there these kids really love to do as well, and it's really unfair to say to them, 'You MUST be here at 3pm or else' because it's just not gonna happen. People don't move to the Wood RIver Valley for MUSIC lessons."

Adding that her teachers "have to be self-starters because I don't micro-manage," Mecham said that she feels incredibly grateful -- and more than a bit surprised and elated -- by the uniformly high caliber of teachers her two music schools have managed to attract during the past few years, especially ... Sheryll Me Grace among them ( http://www.myspace.com/sheryllmaegrace )
Grace, in 2008, came in second place (and won $6,700) during an extremely competitive online-only international competition for up-and-coming musicians,  sponsored by www.yobi.tv ,that featured tens of thousands of entries from all over the world. (Grace was eventually bested, after a very close finish, by a young man in Australia, who won the $17,500 First Place prize at the end of the 40-week voting period; Grace is currently entered again in this year's yobi.tv competition, where she is expected to be a very strong contender once again).

"To have a treasure like Gracie teaching at this school is such a gift and such a blessing," Mecham said, adding that even teachers from other (non-music) schools throughout the Wood River Valley often offer assistance at Music 'n Me as well. "We have an incredible sense of community here."  

And that "incredible sense of community" Mecham eagerly talked about continues this coming Friday (Feb. 5th), when Music 'n' Me will be holding its "Piano Fantasy" concert at Hailey's St. Charles Church (313 1st Ave. South), from 6:30 to 7:30pm, that will feature some of Mecham's top students of this past year performing a wide variety of music (and musical instruments) before a hopefully very large and very appreciative audience.

"I'm sooooo excited for them," Mecham said, referring to her "Piano Fantasy" students. "These kids just have so much talent and heart and spirit, and it's really awesome when they get to perform in front of people who aren't necessarily related to them -- just people who love music, and who love to be AROUND people who love music, too!"

She's even had students from RUSSIA visit her Wood River Valley music schools over the summer -- kids who heard about Mecham's two music facilities online and just had to experience them firsthand for themselves.

"YouTube and MySpace and Facebook have been a tremendous way for kids from all over the world who share a love for music to interact with one another."

Extolling the "inestimable" talent of young musicians such as Sheryll Mae Grace, Aaron Pugh, Lisa Simpson and Twin Falls reggae sensation Ethan Tucker (who, as irony would have it, will also be performing this coming Friday, Feb. 5th -- at 10pm, at The Roosevelt Tavern, and about whom I'll be eagerly writing more about in my Friday "Harmonic Convergence" column), Mecham said that whatever sacrifices she and her husband (and their nine children) have had to make over the years to keep the Music n' Me schools -- and also their Notes Music store -- going have been totally worth it for them.

"When you see raw talent evolve into something, over the course of months and years, into something that's undeniably brilliant and special, you KNOW you're a part of something that's really, really great."
Inquiries for Music n' Me lessons can be sent to notesmusic@msn.com or by calling 788-3348 or 720-3918.

*********************************************

Comments or questions regarding this SVO "Harmonic Convergence" column can be sent to John at: WriteStuffIdaho@gmail.com And to read any of John's previous "HC" columns -- which include raves on local faves such as Paul Tillotson, Alejandro & Maria Laura, Art Wallace, Cow Says Mooo, The Mighty Shims, and Gayle Chapman -- simply type "John Pluntze" into the SVO search engine here.

Tomorow's "HC" column looks at the music of acclaimed Twin Falls musician Ethan Tucker ( http://www.myspace.com/etuckermusic ) who's playing at The Roosevelt this Friday.