Sunset Stories

On March 13, 1975, fourth-grader Troy Ishikawa walked onto the stage at Sunset Center for the first time.

A student at Carmel River School, Troy was one of only two fourth-graders from his school selected to play soprano recorder as part of a district-wide ensemble celebrating Carmel schools' first participation in Music in Our Schools Day.

Students from Carmel River, Carmel Woods, Carmelo, Tularcitos, Carmel Middle and Carmel High schools participated in the event. John Farr directed the recorder ensemble in which Troy performed.

Troy doesn't remember the songs they played that day. But more than 50 years later, he still remembers the final note.

Caught up in the excitement of his first performance, Troy overblew it.

Afterward, Farr asked the young recorder players who had done it.

Troy knew exactly who it was.

"I couldn't confess," he remembers. "I was too embarrassed."

Fortunately, one enthusiastic note didn't end Troy's relationship with music — or with Sunset.

He returned to the Sunset stage as a student at Carmel Middle School and Carmel High School, playing alto saxophone in the stage and jazz bands.

Today, his connection to music continues.

Troy has been playing with the Americana band Old Flannel Pajamas since 2022. And among the instruments he plays is the soprano recorder — the same instrument that first brought him to the Sunset stage more than five decades ago.

"Maybe one day, my band can play at Sunset Center," he said.

More than 50 years after that first nervous and memorable performance, Troy's connection to music and Sunset continues.

And perhaps there is another Sunset stage in his future.