The Life and Legacy of Don and Nadina Baird: Part 4
Four Generations of the Family of Don and Nadina Baird
Interviews with the grand and great grandchildren of Don and Nadina
Additional information provided by their families
We all know those families, the ones who have distinct familial traits passed down: red hair, left handed, curly hair, athletes, artists, actors and musicians. Often those traits skip a generation or two. But with the Baird/Blanchard/Sanchez families musical talent and intelligence gets passed down, even in more epic proportions, to every generation. What Don and Nadina started as fellow band students in a small Oklahoma band hall began a legacy that Don was never able to see past his three kids, but still is going strong to this day. As of this writing, they have four grandsons, one granddaughter, five great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters, with another due in December.
The Blanchard’s, Leslie and Russ, were blessed with two handsome and talented sons. David Russell, an excellent tuba player and Brian Baird, an excellent horn player. David’s musical journey began in El Paso. He attended WTAMU earning a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. He taught band in El Paso and has been teaching elementary music for the past 20 years in Spring, Texas. David also attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, where he was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree. He is currently on track to become an Ordained Minister in Spring of 2026. He met his beautiful wife, Kyleen, a bass clarinet player, when she was at Coronado High School in El Paso and was in band with his brother, Brian. (David was already at WT.) Kyleen has a degree in Art Education and teaches elementary art.
Brian was a member of the All-State band for three years. His fourth/senior year he attended and graduated from Interlochen High School (Michigan). He also won the concerto competition at the WT Band Camp. Brian met his wife, Madelyn, at Interlochen. After Graduation, they both studied with Dale Clevenger and received Bachelors degrees from Roosevelt, part of the Chicago College of the Performing Arts. Brian attended Rice University with the intention of getting his Masters, however he won an audition with the Kansas City Symphony. He later finished his Masters in Utah. Brian has held positions with Chicago Civic Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, North Carolina Symphony and Utah Symphony. Brian is currently an associate professor of horn at Brigham Young University in Provo. His wife, Madelyn, is an attorney with BYU. Brian and Madelyn regularly play with the Temple Square Orchestra in Salt Lake City.
The story of Don’s euphonium, which he purchased in London, traveling by Army transport via Paris, has a long and interesting history. After Don’s passing, the Boosey & Hawkes instrument in the faux alligator case first passed down to his son, Steve and then to his grandson, David Blanchard. David is now the proud owner of the instrument and uses it to teach lessons to more than 15 students on tuba and euphonium. Three generations of Blanchard’s, Russ, David and David’s son Thomas, most recently played together for the Fourth of July band concert in The Woodlands directed by WT Band Alum Paul Worsello.
An interesting story about the euphonium was when David attended an event while carrying the euphonium in the alligator case. He was startled when a gentleman confronted him. In a very accusatory manner he asked David, “Where did you get that case?” The gentleman had taken lessons from Don at band camp and immediately recognized the faux alligator case. David, of course, had to explain that it was his grandfather’s instrument and case! This instrument has been in use since 1954-an astonishing 71 years.
The Blanchard grandchildren, Don and Nadina’s great-grandchildren, are also following in the rich musical heritage of generations before them. David and Kyleen have three exceptionally talented children. Sam received the Outstanding Band Member award at the WT Band Camp. He is currently a Senior at the University of Texas in Arlington studying to be an aeronautical engineer. Thomas, a high school senior, made All-State on trumpet his junior year. Max, a fourth grader, has his eye on playing bassoon. Brian and Madelyn have two talented children, Ellliott and Lily. Elliott just finished his freshmen year as a composition major at Julliard in New York City. Lily, a junior, is active in musical theater and plays oboe. She attended band camp at WT and studied with Dr. Krause.
Steve and Kathryn have one son, Travis. He was born while Steve and Kathryn were in Edinburgh, eventually moving to Canyon where Travis played trombone in the Canyon Bands. Travis is the proud father of two girls, Elliott and Stevie Ray, named after her father, Travis Ray , her grandfather Steven Ray, her great-grandfather Donald Ray, and her great-great grandfather, Raymond Oscar Baird.
Anthony and Janie are also the proud parents of two beautiful children, Patrick and Nicole. Patrick played euphonium, later switching to trumpet, honoring both his grandfather and his father. He currently lives in San Antonio and has a 3-D printing business. Daughter Nicole, is a three year All-State player on horn. She received her Bachelors from Arizona State University and her Masters from The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She also enjoyed playing in the Santa Fe Symphony while a graduate student. Her husband, Joseph Mora, is an All-State clarinet player, has a band with his brothers, Darkness Divided, and is currently a middle school band director in San Antonio. They have two beautiful children, Joshua and Clare, with another precious one on the way. Both Joseph and Anthony perform with The Heart of Texas Concert Band in San Antonio.
Some of the sweetest stories from my time interviewing the Baird, Blanchard, Sanchez and Mora families comes from Joshua Mora, four year old great grandson of Don and Nadina. Joshua loves music, can identify many instruments, is familiar with Pomp and Circumstance (and can pronounce it in his sweet little voice). He names John Williams as his favorite composer, since he is a huge Star Wars fan! I’ve been told a precious story about Joshua when he was looking through a family photo album. He was naming everyone and explaining their family connections such as Momma’s brother is Patrick, Gram is Oma’s mom. Then he said, “Oma’s dad is in heaven” (As we had told him previous times) Nicole said to Joshua, “He is going to be so happy to meet you one day in heaven.” And Joshua said, “I actually already met him when I was born.”
Both Janie and Leslie have heard a lot about their father through stories that people have told. It still happens often and means so much to them. Not only was the impact of Don Baird evident in his own children, but also to generations of family that never had the honor of knowing him. They have all taken with them the legacy of Love, Life, Music and Faith. His memory has influenced them as they have traveled through life whether studying, practicing, performing, parenting or serving their communities in various ways. It is evident that the current youngest generation is prepped to be a continuation of this incredible legacy. Knowing Don Baird has improved the life of many, whether as a colleague, teacher, spouse or father.
If you are reading this and you were a student of Mr. Baird’s you know his lasting impact on your life. If you are reading this and never had the honor of knowing Mr. Baird it is my hope that through these stories you have had a glimpse of the incredible person he was. It has been my honor to spend time with the family learning so many interesting, funny, moving and important facts. May God bless the family of Don Baird and may his memory be a lasting testament to the kind of person that we all hope to be.
