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WHY SHOULD STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL MUSIC?

Fred Pfursich, Vice President for Enrollment Services at Whitworth College was recently interviewed and made the following observations about their admissions standards. Whitworth is a pretty good example of a school that is more selective in the admissions process (less than 50% of applicants are accepted), and where involvement in music can have a more significant impact. Some of what he said challenges the conventional wisdom about getting into a selective college. Fred made four interesting observations:

1. Band [music] on the transcript does make a difference. First, he told me that flat out, all other things being equal, consistent involvement in band - as well as other extra-curricular activities - is an advantage. The student who has been active in other things besides just academics definitely has a leg-up.

2. Music students are academically above average. Second, he said that in the admissions office, they do notice that students who have band (or other music groups) on their transcripts tend also to stand out academically. The information about GPAs and SATs that I showed him simply confirmed what they have been seeing all along.

3. Band and the optional SAT. Third, at Whitworth, SAT or ACT scores are optional for admission - we don't want to cut out students who do great work but, perhaps, just don't do as well on standardized tests. But when a student doesn't submit test scores, admissions needs to look at other things in the application that will provide evidence that the student will be successful academically in college, and one of the biggies is involvement in music, because…(see above).

4. Quantity vs. quality. The conventional wisdom is that when a student applies to college, a long resume of a wide variety of extracurricular activities - maybe, band, a bunch of clubs, community projects, athletics - is important to catch the eye of the admissions officer, and the more stuff on that list, the better.

•  ….(a) Harris study shows significantly higher graduation and attendance rates in schools with music programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent and 93.3 percent compared to 84.9 percent, respectively).
 
"Music Education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them - a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music." - Gerald Ford, former President, United States.

NORTHWEST ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 13, 20101

Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR

The WHS Orchestra returns to this annual Northwest classic.

Friday 3/12: Bring everything you need for the weekend to school! Luggage will be locked in room 404.

2:00pm: load bus

2:30pm: depart WHS for Capitol High School

4:00pm: clinic at Capitol High School with WHS alum & Capitol Orchestra director, Joe Dyvig. We will have dinner in Portland after we check in to the hotel.

Saturday 3/13: Orchestra performs at (TBA) in the Campus Theater. Both chamber ensembles perform in the afternoon. Finals are announced in the late afternoon.

Sunday 3/14: We will depart from Portland to be home by noon.

All-State Honor

Band, Orchestra & Choir

Congratulations to the following WHS Instrumental students for going to All-State!

Gracie Aeschbacher (Chamber Orchestra), Emily Barker (Symphony Orchestra), Morgan Beaumier (Wind Ensemble), Jessica Birkner (Symphony Orchestra), Dani Boyd (Concert Band), Rachel Bulger (Symphony Orchestra), Kelsie Haakenson (Symphony Orchestra), Elizabeth Kimn (Chamber Orchestra), Patrick Lenning (Chamber Orchestra), Mark Morley (Concert Band), Daniel Thorson (Wind Ensemble).

Northlake Solo & Ensemble Contest

Saturday, February 6

Lake Washington High School

Thanks for a GREAT day of chamber music to all of the WHS Instrumental Music Department. 

Congratulations goes to the following students for their exceptional performances and placing in the contest:

Morgan Beaumier, bass clarinet: 1st place, going to State

David Cubine, multiple percussion: 1st place, going to State

Mark Morley, f horn: 1st place, going to State

Aaron Birkner, bassoon: 3rd place, 2nd alternate to state

Elizabeth Kimn, string bass: 2nd place, 1st alternate to state

Daniel Thorson, trombone: 2nd place, 1st alternate to state

Chris Trimis, snare drum: 3rd palce, 2nd alternate to state

Percussion Trio (David Cubine, Alex Sherman, Chris Trimis), small percussion ensemble: 3rd place, 2nd alternate to state.

Orchestra: Assigned music: Simple Symphony (Britton); Phantom Tangos (Balmages). Required culminating assessments: WHS Pathway Concert (3/11), Northwest Orchestra Festival (Gresham-3/13) & Northlake Orchetsra Festival (3/23).

Wind Ensemble:  Assigned music: Chester (Schuman), Shenandoah (Ticheli) & Stars (Dawson). Required culminating assessments: WHS Pathway Concert (3/24) & Northlake Band Festival (3/25).

Symphonic Band:    Assigned music: Undertow (Mackey), Three Colonial Ballads, Tanglewood. Required culminating assessments: Northlake Band Festival (3/25) & WHS Pathway Concert (3/24).  

Jazz Ensemble: Jazz Northwest Festival (Spokane) & Improv. Assigned music:  Basically Blues, Corner Pocket, Night Flower. Required culminating assessments: Jazz Northwest (3/20).

"Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and, by studying music in school, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective." - Bill Clinton, former President of the United States.

Daddy/Daughter Dance: 3/5/10 - 7pm in the WHS Commons. Jazz Ensemble performs for this annual fund raiser.

WHS Pathway Orchestra Concert: 3/11/10 - 7pm in the WHS Theater; featuring the Timbercrest JH, Leota JH and WHS orchestras.

Northwest Orchestra Festival: The WHS Orchestra makes their annual appearance at this festival in Gresham, OR. Details about the trip to be sent home in March. March 12-14.

Jazz Northwest: The Jazz Ensemble travels to Spokane, WA to compete in this annual festival. March 19-21.

WHS Pathway Band Concert: 3/24/10 - 7pm in the WHS Theater; featuring the Timbercrest JH, Leota JH and WHS bands.

Northlake Band Festival: 3/25/10 @ Juanita High School. Both Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band will appear at this annual festival.

All-Fools Parade: 3/27/10. Times are TBA.

Making a Difference
One of the many wonderful things about music is the way it brings together all kinds of people. Just spending five minutes around the band or choir room at Woodinville High School you see it for yourself. From the choir student who sings hip hop for fun to the orchestra student who aspires to play in a professional symphony, all of our students benefit from the WHS music programs. The Music Boosters organization at Woodinville High School exists for the sole purpose of supporting the instrumental and choral music programs that our children enjoy. Like all volunteer organizations, we rely entirely on people from all walks of life in our community to help us make a difference. We rely on you! If you haven't had a chance yet to join the WHS Music Boosters, please take a moment to print out and complete the form below.  We greatly appreciate your financial support at any level! And please consider all the other ways that you can support the music programs. Listed below are some of the upcoming events sponsored by the Music Boosters.  Please take a moment to see if you can contribute a few minutes of your time:
•   Being a chaperone at competitions
•   Setting up punch and cookies for a reception at the Pathways Concerts (March)
•   Helping with the main music department fundraiser for the year, the Holiday Silent Auction ( Thursday December 10), including: participate on the planning committee, setting up tables/auction items, procuring auction items ( see related article on Mr. Lucas website), assisting with auction checkout (cashier, etc), helping to collect and tally auction bid sheets, help in putting together gift baskets, clean up and tear down after the auction, other miscellaneous jobs as needed
•   Chairing or co-chairing the Pops Concert (May), participating on the Pops Concert Planning committee, preparing fruit/slicing desserts the afternoon of the Pops concert, decorating tables for the concert, assist in beverage/food pickup for the concert, helping with post-concert tear down and clean up, Pops concert publicity, misc. jobs as needed

If you are able to lend a hand in any way, we will find a job for you!  Also, all music parents, whether a financial supporter or not, are welcome to the Booster meetings (usually the 2nd Monday of the month) to find out what's happening and to voice your opinion.  Thank you for being involved in your children's music and helping us provide strong support for the music programs at Woodinville High School.

For more information or to sign up to help, please contact Cathy Lenning 788-7560 (lenning.wa@verizon.net) or Alice Aeschbacher 844-2396 (abaesch@hotmail.com).

Eric Lucas has been the Director of Instrumental Music and Performing Arts Department Chair at Woodinville High School for eight years. He teaches Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Rock Guitar and Piano Lab. Mr. Lucas is also an adjunct professor at Bellevue College and is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and served four terms as president of the Northlake Music Educators Association. His WHS Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2010 WMEA Biennial Conference.

Mr. Lucas began his B.A. (Music) studies at Biola University, completing that degree at Seattle Pacific University and his M.A. in Music (Conducting) at Central Washington University. Mr. Lucas studied conducting with Mr. Larry Gookin, Dr. Paul Elliot Cobbs, Dr. Karyl Carlson and Mr. Ray Lutke and trumpet with Stanley Freidman, Robert G. Feller and Thomas Gause.

Mr. Lucas is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, a 2009 WHS PTSA Golden Apple recipient, a 2007 recipient of the SEPAC Outstanding Service Award, a 2006 WSU Educator of Excellence, the 2006 WHS Ashler Masonic Lodge Educator of the Year, a 2006 Who's Who Among American High School Teachers recipient and a 2004 National Society of High School Scholars "Educator of Distinction". He also served as the 2005 All-Northwest Honor Band Organizing Chair.

Mr. Lucas has performed throughout the west coast with the Biola University Symphonic Winds and the Central Washington University Wind Ensemble and performed for President Ronald Regan in 1984. He currently performs with The Tempos, a local dance & swing band. Mr. Lucas and his wife Deborah reside in Bothell, Washington and are proud of their children. Their son David is a Music Education Major at Central Washington University and their daughter Kathryn is a Communication Systems Major at Washington State University.