Playing his part

   Brian Kehlenbach loves what he does. A music professor at Santa Ana College for 20 years, Kehlenbach’s face shines as his hands run back and forth on the ivory piano keys.
   Aside from teaching various instrument and music theory classes, Kehlenbach has become a part-time accompanist for the music department. Due to the spike in the continuing budget cuts, over 150 part-time staff members were laid off, including accompanists for all music programs, forcing full-time music department staff to take on a second role.
   “When cuts hit your department, there are specific ramifications. What we’re doing here is rolling up our sleeves and helping accompany ensembles whenever we’re needed,” Kehlenbach said.
   Class availability has also dipped, forcing some students to rearrange their schedules completely.
   “We’re going to try to deliver transfer curriculum as best we can. Students are just going to find fewer offerings. A lot of our classes are really impacted in terms of the number of students. I have students still coming to me this week trying to get into classes,” Kehlenbach said.
   However, cuts have affected other areas besides music. Many professors have lost teaching assistants, lab technicians and technology aides who would have helped ease the transition into the new WebAdvisor registration system.
   Despite the loss of staff and available classes, Kehlenbach remains optimistic for the music department.
   “The idea is to not give up the ghost. Like the idea of losing accompanists, SCC lost their accompanists too, so they cut choir completely. It’s very disappointing to me but I’m grateful that it isn’t something we had to do.”