The 1995 film, Mr. Holland’s Opus, might be alternately titled, The Accidental Teacher. The story follows a would-be composer by the name of Glenn Holland. Mr. Holland’s dream is to write the great American symphony. In order to write, however, he must have money. He accepts a teaching position, on what he presumes will be a temporary basis. His plan is to teach just long enough to put aside some money to live on while he finishes his music project.

When his wife becomes pregnant unexpectedly, Mr. Holland is forced to defer his plan in order to provide for his family. A baby leads to a newer, larger house, and the dream is further delayed. Before he realizes it, his temporary teaching job has stretched out over 30 years. The great symphony he wanted to write was left unfinished. In its place was 30 years of influencing students as a teacher of music.

Mr. Holland wanted to create an opus ― a crowning achievement in music that would be the identifying mark of his life. Instead he was forced to settle for teaching. Not a waste of time, surely, but not what he really wanted to do. But then something happened to change his mind.

As Mr. Holland was about to retire, members of the faculty where he taught, pulled together his students from the across the years. Together they formed an ad hoc orchestra, an orchestra brought to life by Mr. Holland’s passion for music. Th

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