Page 267 - From the Outhouse 4 -21

267 | P A T R I C I A R A E M E R R I T T W H A T L E Y

Mr. Minott was responsible for me being offered a music scholarship at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. I had to
decline, but I was encouraged by the offer. When I enrolled in Talladega’s Music/Voice Program, I was accepted (voice-wise), but

theory challenged me. I failed in that category, but I could sing as long as I rehearsed and rehearsed some more! Thank you, Mr.

Minott!

~ Pastor Ronald and Mrs. Ingrid Nathan ~

These two born and bred musical geniuses of Sanford contributed mightily to Tajiri Arts. They thought it not robbery to return to

their hometown after college and commit their talents to the community. I like to say that Mr. Nathan’s bona fide musicianship

always took Tajiri over the top. The original overtures that he composed for every instrument in our thirty-piece youth orchestra for
our first production Umoja was phenomenal. He also re-arranged historical music to accompany our performances. He brought his

extraordinary expertise to Negro Spirituals and Scott Joplin’s music for our production of an original Folk Opera based on General
Sanford’s migration to Sanford with 75 African-Americans. This authenticity of the story was based on excerpts from Mrs. Altermese

Bentley’s book, Georgetown: The History of a Neighborhood, with a Libretto by Dr. Annye L. Refoe.

Mr. Nathan is an anointed and skillful musician. His artistry as a saxophonist is superb, always making listeners “want to see Jesus and

walk around heaven all day,” as the spiritual says. As Kamili’s music instructor, Mr. Nathan’s musicianship encouraged Kamili to
really learn to play the saxophone. He served as Kamili’s mentor in elementary school, and when Kamili was assigned to his class, Mr.

Nathan encouraged him to improve his academics. It worked because Kamili attended Florida A&M University and is an excellent

Civil Engineer with the Federal Aviation Administration. He also played saxophone for three years with the world-renowned FAMU’s
Marching One Hundred.