In June 2019 the Poly High Auditorium was renamed the Andrew Osman Performing Arts Center. Just over a year later, he died from pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on. Known as “Mr. Music Man” Osman spent 36 years leading Poly’s music program, transforming it into one of the premiere high school music programs in the United States. Many called “The Andy Osman Era” the greatest music period in Poly’s 123-year history.
Osman was born in Whittier in 1961 and grew up in what he called “a house of music.” Both of his parents played musical instruments and so did his three older brothers.
So, it was no surprise when Osman took up playing the clarinet in the fourth grade at Ocean View Elementary. He joined the marching band at California High School and was the drum major for two years. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in music education, he went looking for a job to lead Poly’s music program, which at one time had been excellent, had deteriorated because of budget cuts and personnel changes. In 1983 Osman took the job at Poly and began working to build the program “one day at a time.”
He wasn’t sure how long he would stay, but he fell in love with Poly, and he got support from his bosses. He was a demanding, but fair, teacher who won over students with his skill and caring manner.
The Poly Music Department has been selected six times by the Grammy Foundation as a Signature School and twice as a Signature “Gold” school, recognizing it as one of the top high school programs in the nation.
