A lineup of special musical events and awards presentations from May 27 to 29 will pay tribute to Mike Cook’s 35 years as director of instrumental music at Poway High School.
Three send-off activities will celebrate Cook’s retirement at the end of the school year on Friday, June 5.
Cook has taught students in The Emerald Brigade marching band, wind ensemble, concert band, orchestra, jazz ensembles and the spring musical pit orchestra. The 61-year-old said he has enjoyed his years preparing for performances, helping students develop their skills and working together as a family.
“Watching that happen and moving that along is what it’s all about for me,” the Poway resident said. “The real reason I lasted as long as I did was because the parents, students and community were all pulling in the same direction. Their willingness to help allowed me to not worry about some things. It just really helped me.”
Miranda Allen of Wildly Free Photography
Mike Cook plans to retire June 5 after 35 years of teaching music at Poway High. (Miranda Allen of Wildly Free Photography)
His wife, Trish Feaster Cook, said her husband’s legacy is bigger than his role as a longtime music teacher.
“He uses music as a medium to help teach his students to become better citizens of the world,” she said. “He doesn’t just improve their skills as musicians but he shows them how to be a team member, how to work together to reach a common goal, how to connect to someone who is struggling and how to reach out if they are that person who is struggling.
“Obviously, the music skills are important but overall the students are becoming better people through the music program and they are also helping others to become better people.”
The upcoming celebrations will be presented by the Poway High Instrumental Music Department and the school’s Music Boosters, who consist of supportive family members. The events will be held at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road.
The first is a Final Orchestra Concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 27. Four pieces selected to be performed by students will resemble a pops night, Feaster Cook said. The pieces will be Selections from “Phantom of the Opera”; “Chicago”: A Medley; the suite from “Video Games Live”; and “Back to the Future” suite.
On Thursday, May 28, The Final Concert Band & Wind Ensemble Concert is set for 7 p.m. Students will be performing three pieces accessible to a wide audience, Feaster Cook said. They are “Opening Night on Broadway,” “Disney at the Movies” and “Groovitude.”
The featured soloist that evening will be senior Coral Kosiba, who will perform “La Flute de Pan” on the flute. As a four-year member of Poway High’s Instrumental Music program and this year’s band president, Kosiba has performed with the concert band, wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, jazz ensembles and The Emerald Brigade. She will be attending San Diego State University in the fall to pursue a degree in theater design and technology.
Courtesy Poway High School Music Boosters
Poway High Music Instructor Mike Cook is shown conducting the concert band. (Courtesy Poway High School Music Boosters)
Courtesy Trish Feaster Cook
Mike Cook and instrumental music students performed in the Church of Santa Maria Corteorlandini in Lucca, Italy in the spring of 2024. (Courtesy Trish Feaster Cook)
Courtesy Trish Feaster Cook
Mike Cook, right, reflects with the pit orchestra of the spring musical “Cinderella” in spring 2025. (Courtesy Trish Feaster Cook)
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Courtesy Poway High School Music Boosters
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Poway High Music Instructor Mike Cook is shown conducting the concert band. (Courtesy Poway High School Music Boosters)
The events in Cook’s honor will culminate with a Dessert Social & Mr. Cook Trivia Night at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 29 followed by an Awards Night & Mr. Cook’s Retirement Celebration at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature presentations of students’ certificates and guest speaker Megan Parry, a Poway High band alumna from the Class of 2004.
A Mr. Cook farewell video will be shown as students answer trivia questions about his life and work.
Cook studied at Baylor University’s School of Music, earning a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts in Music Education in 1988, before advancing to a master’s program in Fine Arts Music Education at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he graduated in 1990. Cook studied under nationally known conductor, Eugene Corporon, who recommended him to Poway High soon after graduating.
“He’s never taught at any other high school,” said Feaster Cook, who works alongside her husband as Poway High’s visual and performing arts artist in residence, helping prepare students for performances. “He’s committed his life to teaching at Poway High.”
Among Cook’s many favorite memories are watching the senior class perform during the spring concerts — the culmination of four years of progress, he said.
“From year to year there’s always a couple of seniors who rise to a high level of showmanship and we feature them at the spring concert,” Cook said. “It’s a pleasure to listen to and be a part of that process as well.”
General admission tickets to the two concerts are $15 each and will be sold at the door. Discounts of $10 are available to seniors and military, and students are admitted free.