date: may 9, 2012 geoff doy dan popp carolyn...

Date: May 9, 2012

To: Scott Hodgins

Geoff Doy

Dan Popp

Marci Busby

Carolyn Simpson

Cc: Joel Aune, Don McConkey

From: Carol Reitz, SVSD Music Coalition

Subject: SVSD 2nd Annual Report on Music Education-2012

Thank you for taking the time to review our 2nd annual report on The State of Music Education K-

12 in our district. Formed a year ago, the coalition has worked closely with all of the music

teachers to provide the data for this report. We see this as a way of highlighting some key issues,

celebrating successes and suggesting areas of improvement.

We have expanded the scope of our report to include: brief biographies of each of the music

directors, a sampling of our music organizations in the news, and an analysis of the attrition rate as

music students transition from middle to high school music.

Sincerely,

Carol Reitz

SVSD Music Coalition

TFMS Music Boosters President

425-765-9284

[email protected]

cc:

Kristi George

Ryan Harris

Carol Heitt

April Herb

Dan Ray

Rachel Rice

Adam Rupert

Haley Smith

Dan Thompson

Lorraine Thurston

Matt Wenman

SVSD State of Music Education - 2012

2nd Annual report on Music Education in the SVSD K-12

2

SUMMARY

Purpose The purpose of the annual report is to keep school administration and the school board

informed of the current state and importance of music education.

SVSD Music

Coalition

A citizen based advocacy group focused on promoting music education in the SVSD.

Music teachers across the district, parents and community members are critical partners

in creating a positive environment for maintaining and building music education for

students K-12.

Mission To ensure equal access to music education K-12

Principles The coalition is built on the following principles:

• Our local coalition is student centered—focused on the impact of any decision on

the student.

• The focus is on music education as a unified district-wide effort – not focused on

individual schools, specific programs or music directors.

• The coalition is a community based organization committed to creating long-term

positive relationships with key decision makers who influence music education

resources.

Focus of this

report

1. A summary of the number of students involved in curricular, extra-curricular and

co curricular music education across our district in the 5 elementary schools, 3

middle schools and high school.

2. Highlights of new programs, collaborations, organizations and music students in

the news

3. Brief biographies of our music directors – with 4 new teachers in our district this

year.

4. A detailed look at the attrition/retention rate for band and choir as 8th grade

music students move into high school

Middle to

HS

band/choir

attrition

rate

1. Music programs expect to see a hit to their enrollment numbers when students

move from elementary to middle and middle to high school.

2. The benchmark for excellent music programs is a 15% attrition rate or lower –

anything above that level should be examined for cause.

3. Eighth grade band and choir students at all 3 middle schools took the survey once

they had chosen their electives for the fall. The participation rate was 95%.

4. Our attrition rate for next year (this year’s 8th graders) is 45% for band and 70%

for choir.

5. The primary reasons given for not continuing band or choir in high school is the

limited number of electives (2) available in 9th grade with a large number of

attractive electives to choose from and students feeling they had no room in their

schedule for music.

6. The middle and high school music directors met to discuss the survey results and

put together an action plan that will allow them to address the pressing issues.



3

Student

involvement

1. Through last year, we had seen steady growth in both choir and band at all grade

levels. This year, there are more uneven pockets of growth, and decline in both

choir and band.

2. The causes may be attributed to turn-over of 3 of the 5 music directors at the

middle/high school level and the delay of hiring for 5th grade band in FCE.

3. The benchmark for 5th grade band participation is 65%, and this year’s 5th grade

band participation rate is 33%.

Future goals 1. The annual report will be presented at the end of each school year growing in

scope

2. The coalition will continue to work with the music educators to develop short and

long term plans for music education K-12.

Resources 1. The coalition has a Facebook page “SVSD Music Coalition”. Currently 89 people

are following district music education events, news and advocacy messages.

2. Music Advocacy by John Benham

3. Washington Music Educators Association - WMEA.org

Music Director Biographies

Brief background summaries of the music directors in our district.

Elementary:

1. Dan Thompson – General Music Specialist at North Bend ES. Dan has been teaching music for 27 years.

He has taught elementary music, choir and band, middle school and high school band and choir. Dan

has a BA in Music Education from SPU as well as a Masters in Curriculum and Technology from SPU. He

enjoys all kinds of music and has a studio at where he composes songs for the kids and other venues.

Dan gives private lessons in voice, guitar and trumpet. Favorite hobbies include: skiing, biking, off road

motorcycling and wind surfing.

2. Lorraine Thurston - Band director at North Bend ES. Lorraine is a tuba veteran of over 25 years. She

plays in her local community band, the SnoValley Winds, as well as with a semi-professional brass band

in Bellevue called Brass Band Northwest. Lorraine volunteers a lot of time in local schools. Together

with her husband Richard she is raising a young euphonium player. She foresees the purchase of a

larger vehicle in the near future as her son has informed he would like to “upgrade” to tuba next year

making their family a two-tuba household. She is from North Cooking Lake, Alberta and studied Music

Education at the University of Alberta.

3. Rachel Rice –General Music Specialist at Fall City ES. Rachel graduated from Central Washington

University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Music in Broad Area Music Education, and is currently in her

second year of teaching at FCE. Under her direction, the extra-curricular Fall City Elementary 4th/5th

Grade Chorus, which meets before school once a week, has grown to 90 members this year. The choir

takes an annual trip to CWU’s Music Department in Ellensburg, where they work with esteemed CWU

vocal professors and performing groups. Rachel’s primary instrument is clarinet, but she also plays the



4

piano and loves to sing. She resides in Issaquah, enjoys playing piano and singing on worship team at

her church, and has fallen in love with the beauty of the Snoqualmie Valley and the generosity of its

community.

4. April Herb – General Music Specialist at Cascade View ES. April grew up in East Wenatchee,

Washington and knew when in first grade that she wanted to be a music teacher! Her parents taught

her and always encouraged her to sing and dance. She began playing flute and piano in the sixth grade

and continued playing band, jazz band, youth orchestra, flute society, lessons, and also competed in

many festivals. April studied Music Education at Central Washington University and graduated in 2002.

She is in her tenth year of teaching elementary music and band in the Snoqualmie Valley School

District. April lives in Snoqualmie with her husband Mike, who is a high school band director, and

three year old daughter, Natalie, who is a little musician too! The two of them are also members of the

community band, Sno Valley Winds.

5. Carol Heitt – General Music Specialist at Opstad ES. Carol grew up in Kirkland, WA and started played

saxophone in the concert and jazz bands. She attended Central Washington University and received a

Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education K-12 in 1995. There, she learned clarinet and played in the

orchestra, wind ensemble and jazz band. Her first teaching job was in Eastern Washington teaching K-

12 music and band. During the next 12 years she taught in various districts teaching mainly

elementary band and general music. Carol has been teaching in the Snoqualmie Valley School District

since 2007.

6. Kristi George – General Music Specialist and band instructor at Snoqualmie ES. Kristi George is a

graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal and

Instrumental Music in 1977 and her Masters in Music Education with an emphasis in Flute pedagogy in

1984 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Kristi has been teaching music for over 30 years and

has taught on every level and in all subject areas of music. Kristi is certified in Orff-Schulwerk on two

levels from Colorado State University. Kristi is married to Richard George and has two grown

children. Other interests include sewing, knitting, reading, and traveling. The George’s own a 1963

Serro Scotty camper that has been kept in its original condition since they purchased it in the 70’s that

still rolls down the road!

Middle School:

1. Matt Wenman – Director of choirs and bands at Twin Falls MS. Matt graduated from the University of

Washington and has been the music director at Twin Falls since it opened in 2008. Matt plays clarinet

and directs the jazz band in the WA Army National Guard 133rd Army band, enjoys sailing, plays sax at

Boxley’s, and guitar with his church’s youth group.

2. Haley Smith – Director of choirs and bands at Chief Kanim MS. Haley graduated from Whitmore

College in Spokane with a major in music and a Music Education degree from Central Washington

University. This is her first year of teaching. She played jazz piano in high school and is primarily a

clarinet player.

3. Dan Ray – Director of choirs and bands at Snoqualmie MS. Dan lives in Ellensburg and commutes to

the valley. He graduated from Central Washington University and previously taught band and choir in



5

the White Salmon and Cle Elum school district. Dan plays trombone in the WA Army National Guard

133rd Army Band. He is passionate about mountain biking.

High School:

1. Ryan Harris –Choral and Drama Teacher at Mount Si HS. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Music degree in

Music Education – Board Area Specialization from Central Washington University, and is now in his first

year of teaching at Mount Si High School. Ryan’s love of the performing arts was first inspired and

fostered at an early age and he began studying singing and the trumpet during middle school. He

currently sings in the vocal octet, “Reson8.”

2. Adam Rupert – Band, Audio and World Drumming Teacher at Mount Si HS. Adam has been the

Director of Bands at Mount Si High School for 10 years. Adam is a graduate of Central Washington

University in 1999, and again in 2001 in the Masters Program. Adam may be seen each Tuesday night

playing his tenor sax at Boxley’s and mentoring high school and middle school budding jazz musicians.

Key Data: Elementary School

Music Directors: Rachel Rice (FCES)/Rick Uhles (FCES band), April Herb (CVES), Kristi George (SES), Dan Thompson

(NBE)/Lorraine Thurston (NBE band), Carol Heitt (OES)

Fifth grade band instruction takes place outside of the school day at all five elementary schools. Numbers at

the 5th grade level are uneven this year. There was a significant decline in the participation level at NBE this

year – from over 40 last year to half that number – one explanation is, the lack of suitable instruments for

students to use – requiring parents to pay an additional rental fee – another barrier to kids who otherwise

may be interested. This is also the second year that band instruction has taken place outside of the school

day.

Fall City Elementary also saw a large decline in their 5th grade band numbers – due to the delay in hiring a

suitable candidate for teaching band–students had made other extra-curricular choices by the time band was

offered. Also, a .2 FTE was lost when the middle school director was replaced by an outside contractor.

One pocket of growth is in Opstad Elementary increasing participation from 23 last year to 43 students in

band. There has been a conscious effort to promote and market the band and choir program at Twin Falls to

Opstad and North Bend students which has helped the growth at Twin Falls.



6

The benchmark for 5th grade band participation 65%. Our participation rate for 5th graders is 33%. Starting

band in the 5th grade is the standard for best practices; with no fewer than 2 rehearsals a week, preferrably 3-

5 per week, with classes held during the school day. A quality program at the high school level is dependant

upon the quality of instruction and available pool in 5th grade. There are more students who are choosing to

start band in 6th grade – which, mixed with very large numbers in the 6th grade band, slows the progress, and

increases the chances of drop outs of skilled students who may handle a faster pace.

149

181167

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

# o

f st

ud

en

ts

Total Extra-Curricular

Elementary Band

Students 2009-2012

33%

67%

% of 5th Graders in Band 2011-12

Band students-167

Non-band students-

342



7

Elementary school highlights:

• Fall City Elementary extra-curricular choir continues to grow and they took their annual trip to Central

Washington University for valuable contact with educators and students.

• NBE started an extracurricular choir during their RISE offerings which provides a new choral

opportunity for kids K-5 directed by Katy Hawley.

• In April, there was a joint concert with Twin Falls MS 7th grade band, Opstad Elementary and North

Bend Elementary 5th grade bands at Twin Falls – great way to showcase Twin Falls band program to the

5th grade parents and students as they start planning for middle school in the fall.

65%

35%

5th grade Band Benchmark

Participation Rate

Band Students

Non-Band Students

64 81 106

0

50

100

150

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

Total Elementary Extra-Curricular

Choir Students 2009-2012

(FCE/NBE)



8

Key Data: Middle School

Music Directors: Haley Smith (CKMS), Dan Ray (SMS), Matt Wenman (TFMS)

Each middle school has a full-time music director responsible for three 6-8th grade choirs, three 6-8th grade

band programs and extra-curricular jazz bands. Two of the three middle school directors are new this year –

and the impact, is negative seen in stagnant or drop in participation. A similar drop in participation occurred

when Twin Falls MS opened and kids were moved to a new band/choir director – it has taken 2-3 years to

recover and see growth.

Concerns: Attrition rates may be affected by music teacher loads that are too high. Individual attention is minimal or

absent – as the program continues to grow, the maximum number of students needs to be monitored and adjusted for.

Highlights in the middle schools:

• Four eighth-grade students from Twin Falls Middle School were selected for Jr. All-State band: Will

Crandell — percussion, Joey Petroske - clarinet, Emilie Reitz - flute, and Cole Van Gerpen - alto

saxophone.

• Five students from Snoqualmie Middle School were also selected: eighth graders Raine Myrvold,

trombone - Baker Band; and Allyson Conlon, soprano, - Treble Choir; and sixth graders, all in Honor

Chorus Trinity Wilson, soprano; Jessica Conlon, alto; and Alison Caswell, alto.

• Chief Kanim Middle School sent three musicians, too. They are Christopher Bauer, oboe - Baker Band,

Sydney Huft, soprano – Treble Choir, and Alexis Torres, alto – Youth Honor Chorus.

293332

388 406

202

260

329 300

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

Total Middle School Band/Choir Students

2008-2012

Total Middle School choir

students

Total Middle School band

students



9

• Twin Falls had over 50 students try out for the two jazz bands – Adding a second jazz band director,

and purchasing a second drum set gave the Jazz II more rehearsal time in the mornings. TFMS Jazz I

won the Bellevue Jazz Festival in the Middle School Division for the second year in a row. Connor

Drake (7th grade) won best piano soloist in the division.

• Ryan Harris and his choir students came to the three middle schools to recruit, and worked with SMS in

a collaborative project.

Key Data: High School Music Directors: Ryan Harris (choral/theater arts), Adam Rupert (instrumental)

The theater and choral arts director is new this year – on a 1-year contract.

The 71 piece Symphonic Band is primarily made up of underclassmen, and represents an improvement in the retention

rate of students from 8th-9th grade last year. Again, the upper end of the class limits needs to be monitored for

adjustments since there will be a point where unfavorable attrition rates may affect continued involvement in band.

52 56 5671

52 47 45

48

42 37 40

42

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

# o

f st

ud

en

ts

Mt Si HS Bands 2008-2012

Jazz Band

Wind Ensemble

Symphonic Band



10

High School band and choir highlights:

• Ryan Harris and Adam Rupert collaborated on the fall musical, “Honk”. Band students provided the

live music supporting singers on stage. There were 55 students who auditioned for the musical, and 50

students found a place on or off-stage. Reserved seating was a new offering during the 4 day run with

record attendance.

• Ryan started Theory Thursday; where he is taking one day a week to build on the student’s theoretical

knowledge of music which should boost their confidence give them a greater chance to succeed in

freshman college music classes.

• The Jazz I Ensemble was one of 12 bands chosen from national entries to participate in the Swing

Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, Georgia. With tremendous community and parental support, the

students were able to attend with minimal financial investment.

• In May, MSHS Jazz II placed 3rd in their division at the Bellevue Jazz Festival.

• In March the MSHS jazz bands and the three middle school jazz bands presented a festive night of jazz

in a single concert – to be an annual event.

• In May, the first ever, annual district music faculty recital will be held featuring each of the music

teachers. The admission charged will go towards scholarships to assist students with music lessons.

• Band and choir selected for All-State were: Emily Pemberton, Christopher Hodel, Analise Sanburn,

Emma Wright, Jessica Adams, Boone Hapke and Matt Bumgardner.

• In April, the MSHS choirs traveled to Columbia Basin College for a highly competitive, yet educational

festival. MSHS placed 3rd in Jazz Choir, took home the Outstanding Department Award for their

division, which required earning a superior rating with at least one Concert Choir on Friday, and one

Jazz Choir on Saturday. They also took home the coveted Waldo King award. The principles of the

3724 31 25

24

2421

24

33

3737

31

1517

1920

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-212

# o

f st

ud

en

ts

Mt Si HS Choirs

2008-2012

Vocal Jazz

4-part non-audition choir

4-part Female Audition

Choir

4 part Audition Choir



11

award line up with MSHS PRIDE to the letter, with the emphasis on being supportive towards the other

competitors. MSHS choir students were great representatives of the school, the district and

community at this high profile event. Also, Megan Vogel and Chase Rabideau received Outstanding

Musicianship Awards for Bass and Guitar respectively.

ATTRITION RATE: MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL

Objective

Attrition rates for choir and band students in our district, as they move from middle to high school, have

historically been very high. The attrition benchmark for excellent programs is 15%. Our goal was to determine

our attrition rate and find out why students are choosing not to continue band or choir once they get into high

school.

Process

In March, all of the 8th grade band and choir students in the three middle schools filled out a written survey

within 2 weeks of making their initial choices for their high school electives. The music directors collected

them, and an outside party tabulated and summarized the results. Students identified their gender, school

and music organization – but not their names to encourage frank and honest answers. While they were asked

to check boxes for their reasons, they were also given the opportunity to write in additional comments. *See

Appendix II for detailed survey results.

Results

98 band and 82 choir students

Participated

in survey

95%

Did not

participate

5%

2011-12 Survey Participation Rate



12

Top 5 reasons for not choosing CHOIR

1 Other electives sound more interesting

2 No room in my schedule

3 I don't want to have to audition

4 I don't like choir

5

My friends aren't taking choir/not important to HS or

chosen career

25, 30%

57, 70%

Middle to HS Choir Attrition Survey 2012

Yes to Choir in 9th gr. No to Choir in 9th gr.



13

Top 5 reasons for not choosing BAND


2 No room in my schedule

3 Music isn't important to HS or chosen career

4 I don't like band

5 My friends aren't taking band

Conclusion/Action Plan

This is the first year data has been collected, so there is no basis for comparison yet. Anecdotally, the attrition

rate seems to be decreasing for band, since the enrollment is increasing and a third concert band has been

added to the schedule starting in the fall.

The high school choir numbers have remained stable, so most likely, the attrition rate has not changed in the

past 3-4 years. Stabilizing personnel at the middle and high school and with specific recruiting plans, should

favorably impact choir participation over the next 2-3 years.

54, 55%

44, 45%

Middle to HS Band Attrition Survey

2012

YES to Band in 9th gr. NO to band in 9th gr.



14

The five middle and high school directors met to discuss the survey results and start an initial action plan to

address the most critical and actionable issues. Their goal is to address the misperceptions students have

about their choices, and the impacts of the choices. Also, there is a need to educate students about what

college recruiters and admissions officers are really looking for in high school graduates. Communications with

parents about the value and benefits of music for college and their future careers is critical – especially if

students aren’t going to pursue music as a career. Parents still have influence in their students’ choices.

APPENDIX I: MUSIC IN THE LOCAL NEWS

Samples of some of the positive press individual students and our schools have received this year.

Notes for life: Valley school coalition builds love of music, gains attention during challenging times

SETH TRUSCOTT/STAFF PHOTO

Mount Si High School's Jazz band is breaking ground locally and traveling far thanks to their love of music. Pictured are,

from left, back row, Sam Boyce, JT Hartman, Kyle Seymour, Ryan Grate, Nic Vikari, Ryan Paauw, Josh Supkoff, Quinton

Cook, Boone Hapke, Ben Wheeler; middle row, Sean Hecker, Nic Apone, Aaron Tevis, Lizzy Young; front, Shawn Rose,

Zach Tidwell, Maile Young, Melani Templin and director Adam Rupert

By CAROL LADWIG Snoqualmie Valley Record Staff Reporter MARCH 20, 2012 · UPDATED 4:02 PM

Brass notes blast out the just-opened door at Boxley's Place on a snowy Friday. Snow has cancelled school for the day, but it hasn't stopped the

music for some 30 student musicians, who are all assembled for one reason. The reason is Wycliffe Gordon, a famed and acclaimed trombonist,

composer, and educator, who is visiting the Valley specifically to instruct the Mount Si High School Jazz I students in the art of "the greasy blues."

Gordon is one of three judges of the Swing Central Festival in Savannah, Georgia, which Mount Si was selected to compete in this year. Only the top

12 bands who audition for the festival are chosen, and Mount Si, in its first year to audition, was among them. As part of their participation, the

band received the in-person rehearsal session with Gordon, who composed the piece "Grease Bucket," which they will play at the festival.

"You guys sound nice," Gordon says after a final run-through, but the seasoned jazz man also had lots of advice for the students. "Don't play

anything definite… everybody has to be responsible for listening." He also reminded them of the song's name, for a reason. "You know what a

grease bucket is, right? It's the bucket that sits on the top of the stove in most homes… I wrote this song, I just called it 'Grease Bucket,' so it's the

greasy blues." During the break, Gordon strolls along the stage, singing to himself, clearly enjoying his teaching role. The 19 Jazz I students, and the

small group of middle school musicians who came to watch, though, are all intensity. "It's a really great opportunity. I haven't had an experience



15

like this before," said Kyle Seymour, a senior. Freshman J.T. Hartman concurred. "You get the guy who actually composed the song, telling you how

he wants you to play it."

It's a major accomplishment for still-small Mount Si High School, and one that the students seem to be handling with complete composure. There

are no awestruck faces, no autograph requests of Gordon, not even much chatter during the break. These kids are getting used to success, and the

perks that follow it. Adam Rupert, instrumental music director at Mount Si, said the students will also be featured in the KPLU "School of Jazz" CD,

which highlights local outstanding jazz bands at the high school level. This selection also came with a professional musician's consultation, and his

performing with them on the track they recorded for the CD. The band also frequently receives top ratings at area music festivals.

All of this recognition is nice, Rupert says, as is the school's growing reputation for excellence in jazz, but it is all external to the program he's

worked in for 10 years. "Our goal is really to play music, really hard music, the best we can," he said. "There's never a moment when the kids aren't

challenged." Rupert directs about 120-130 students in one of his jazz or concert bands, which, he says, is close to his capacity in both physical

space and teaching time. Vocal music students see Ryan Harris, who also doubles as the drama instructor.

One step down, to the middle school level, the number of students in band is more than doubled. At Twin Falls Middle School, which has the

largest enrollment count of the district's three middle schools, band director Matt Wenman sees 275 students a day in one of three choirs, three

concert bands, and two jazz bands. Take one more step down, and every single student through the fifth grade, about 3,000 students, has class

with the music teacher in each of their buildings.

Until three years ago, every fifth grade student at North Bend Elementary School took first-year band for their music instruction. The other four

elementaries had all made band an extra-curricular activity, but North Bend music teacher Dan Thompson kept it as part of the school day -- with

no cost for instruments, he noted—until the school district decided each elementary school should be consistent with their band programs.

Thompson, who has taught at NBE for 26 years, was disappointed with the change. It meant adding music classes for fifth graders to his schedule,

and because of the extra demands on his time, handing direction of the band over to a musically trained parent volunteer. "It was kind of hard,

losing that, because I love teaching band," he said. However, he does still see a bright side to it. "For those students who do band before school,

now there can be even more music," he said, since they also get music class with him during the day. "The bottom line is we want to create a love

and appreciation of music for all the kids," he said. "If you get them now (in elementary school) you can have them for life."

Wenman, Rupert, and some active music parents like Carol Reitz and Glynis Rogers, agree with half of that statement, but they are concerned

about the number of students who leave the music program when it is no longer part of the regular school day. "How do you know you don't like

playing an instrument unless you try it?" asked Reitz, who leads the Snoqualmie Valley School District Music Coalition with Rogers. More students

leave at the transitions to middle school, where they choose a band, choral or art/tech "track" that expands their options but excludes the other

tracks, and high school, where students again have many more options. "There is attrition," said Wenman, who's taught at Twin Falls for four

years. "And the biggest attrition happens from the school jumps, when you jump from building to building, or from teacher to teacher." Rupert

says in a typical transition year, less than 50 percent of middle school music students will pursue music, band or choral, at high school.

Both Wenman and Rupert feel that they are close to their maximum capacity for students, and that they are far from alone. "We're exceeding

capacity in many music courses across the district," said Wenman, and the district is forecasting big jumps in enrollment in another three years.

One might think that they and other music teachers would be relieved by that high attrition rate. They aren't. "No, we don't want attrition,"

Wenman said. "Anything less than 85 percent retention—and we've never even had close to that, but anything less than that is something we're



16

always trying to improve." "Every student needs the opportunity to be taught music, and every student needs the equal opportunity to take music

at any level," Wenman added, going on to explain the unique offerings of a music program in schools. Music defines culture, and fosters teamwork,

accountability, discipline, attention to detail, and has been found to support learning in other academic areas.

"That's not why music should be taught. Music should be taught for the intrinsic value of music," Wenman continued. "If I wanted to make kids

better at math, I'd be a math teacher…. Music is something that makes us more human, not just more smart." From a purely pragmatic

perspective, music classes are also important because they are so cost effective. "It's called reverse economics," Reitz explains. "On paper, it looks

like it's going to save you money to cut the music program, but in reality, if you've got a good music program, that means you're handling big

numbers of kids." Specifically, individual music teachers are handling those kids, in much larger numbers than other academic programs can

manage. One music teacher can direct 60 to 70 students in a band, but it would take two or more teachers to instruct them in that same period

through a science lab or vocational class.

Referring back to the attrition rates Wenman noted that "It's to the economic advantage of the district to have huge music programs by the time

they get to middle school and high school." If those students had left band in middle school, or their freshman year, they would be in other, smaller

classes. "It literally will cost the district more if they cut fifth grade band," Wenman said. Information like this is what Reitz's music coalition has

begun providing to the school district, through annual status reports on music in the district, but she emphasized that it was a proactive move.

"Nobody's talking about cutting music right now," she said.

That makes the timing perfect for the coalition, which formed last year after Reitz and several other music parents attended an advocacy

workshop. The coalition, Reitz feels, will be a place for parents and teachers to come together in a unified position, enabling them "to talk to the

board and administrators, wherever they exist, about the importance of having music as a curricular item, … music as an ongoing entity from K

through 12," she said. "The mission is equal access to music education." She hopes the coalition can partner with the district, without being

adversarial, to foster and improve the music program in the district. For details on the coalition's activities, find them on Facebook.

Below, Dan Thompson has taught music at North Bend Elementary school for 26 years and until three years ago, directed up to 100 fifth graders

annually in their first year of band. Then, the district moved to make band offerings consistent at the elementary level, as an extra-curricular

activity, and Thompson, with no time to take on the before-school program, handed his baton to volunteer parent Lorraine Thurston.

Above, Mount Si Jazz students Josh Supkoff, Lizzy Young, Kyle Seymour, Boone Hapke

and Ben Wheeler blow their horns during an early morning practice. Below, the jazz

band's trumpet section.



17

Below, Wycliffe Gordon, a famed and acclaimed trombonist, composer, and educator, instructs local students in the art of "the greasy blues"

during a recent visit to Boxley's Place in North Bend. The restaurant and club hosts local students every Tuesday night with its "Future Jazz Heads"

concerts.

Letters | Braving the cold to help young musicians succeed

CAROL LADWIG/STAFF PHOTO

Jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon plays alongside Valley student jazz musicians Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Boxley's in North

Bend. Gordon visited as part of a national recognition program for Mount Si student bands.

JANUARY 27, 2012 · 2:43 PM



18

This is a huge thank you to everyone who braved the snow and cold to attend the Mount Si High School Jazz Band fundraiser at Boxley’s on the

evening of Tuesday, Jan. 17.

We were able to raise more than $2,000 to help these kids represent Mount Si High School and the Snoqualmie Valley at the Savannah Music

Festival’s (SMF) SWING CENTRAL High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop in Savannah, Ga., in late March. Earlier in the day these young

musicians spent three hours rehearsing with and learning from jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, a current faculty member at the Manhattan

School of Music in New York. Mr. Gordon was sent from Swing Central to do a clinic in advance of the festival. He was a brave soul himself, driving

from Battleground, Wash., to us during Snowpocalypse 2012! A big thank you to him for his gift of time and talent.

In addition, and as always, Boxley’s Danny Kolke and his family opened their doors not only for the morning session (since the schools were closed)

but also for a warm place for good food, good music and fundraising. We are so lucky to have Boxley’s and all that they do as part of our

community.

Thanks again to all who supported these kids the other night. This is an expensive trip (roughly $1,000 per person). If you were unable to make it

but would like to support us, you can still make a tax deductible donation in one of two ways. Either online via PayPal at www.jazzattheclub.com

(click the donate button on the left menu) or by sending a check payable to MSHS Band Boosters, PO Box 92, North Bend 98045. Please indicate

“Swing Central” in the memo line. We have less than a month left to raise our funds. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to

contact us at [email protected].

With gratitude,

Jane-Ellen A. Seymour and fellow members of the MSHS Band Boosters Board, North Bend

Mount Si Musical gets creative with Ugly Duckling retelling

COURTESY PHOTO Mount Si High School students present the musical Honk!, Wednesday through Saturday. The show features the talents of more

than 30 students.

DECEMBER 7, 2011 · UPDATED 10:24 AM

Mount Si High School will present its annual fall musical production, "Honk!" December 7 to 10 at the high school auditorium, 7 to 9 p.m. The

family-friendly show takes a musical look at the adventures of the Ugly Duckling. Directed by teacher Ryan Harris, Honk will feature the



19

performances of 33 talented Mount Si students singing, acting, and dancing. Students also did the construction, staging and technical work, with

help from alumni Katlin McCauley as assistant choreographer and in costuming, and Erik Beatie on set construction. All choreography and scene

designs are original. Harris said the stage direction for the show, allows the students a lot of creativity, and the set invokes the feeling of a pop-up

style book. A 12-piece student band, directed by Adam Rupert, will provide the musical accompaniment. Tickets for reserved seating are on sale

now, at parent-teacher conferences and at each lunch period at Mount Si. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Middle school musicians named to Jr. All-State band, choirs

COURTESY PHOTO

Junior All-State Band musicians from Twin Falls Middle School are, from left, Will Crandell, Joey Petroske, Emilie Reitz, and Cole Van

Gerpen.

NOVEMBER 11, 2011 · 10:36 AM

Outstanding seventh and eighth grade music students from across Washington have received top honors by being selected to participate in the

annual Junior All-State bands, choirs and orchestra, sponsored by the Washington Music Educators' Association. Students from Twin Falls,

Snoqualmie, and Chief Kanim Middle Schools will join more than 375 outstanding young musicians named to the Junior All-State Band, and 150

choral performers named to the All-State Youth Honor Chorus, in Yakima for a gala event February 18.

Four eighth-grade students from Twin Falls Middle School have been selected, Will Crandell — percussion, Joey Petroske - clarinet, Emilie Reitz -

flute, and Cole Van Gerpen - alto saxophone.

Five students from Snoqualmie Middle School were also selected: eighth graders Raine Myrvold,trombone - Baker Band; and Allyson Conlon,

soprano, - Treble Choir; and sixth graders, all in Honor Chorus Trinity Wilson, soprano; Jessica Conlon, alto; and Alison Caswell, alto.

Chief Kanim Middle School is sending three musicians, too. They are Christopher Bauer, oboe - Baker Band, Sydney Huft, soprano – Treble Choir,

and Alexis Torres, alto – Youth Honor Chorus.

The students will meet at the WMEA conference February 18, and rehearse together under the direction of outstanding music educators. They will

present a final concert that afternoon. These musicians were selected through auditions to participate in this prestigious WMEA event. Many

professional musicians credit their All-State experience as crucial in their decision to choose music as a career. Well-known Washingtonians who

have participated in past years’ WMEA All-State groups include The Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist and

columnist David Horsey, 2008 National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson and jazz saxophonist Kenny G.



20

Bumgardner chosen for Grammy Camp jazz program

DECEMBER 2, 2011 · 1:13 PM

The Grammy Foundation recently announced that Mount Si High School student Matt Bumgardner has been chosen for a spot in the 2012

GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session. He is one of only 30 students in the U.S. selected for the honor, and the opportunity to perform in front of some of

music's biggest names. The selected students, representing 29 cities and 14 states, will travel to Los Angeles for a weeklong musical adventure

under the direction of Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music, Dr. Ron McCurdy of the University of Southern California Thornton School

of Music and Dr. Leila Heil of the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Many past members of the program go on to enjoy thriving performance careers, including singer/pianist Peter Cincotti (2001), two-time

GRAMMY-nominated jazz pianist Gerald Clayton (2002), saxophonist Grace Kelly (2008), New York Philharmonic bassist David Grossman (1995) and

pianist Aaron Parks (2000).

The selected students will perform at various Grammy Week events including an appearance at Grammy In The Schools Live! — A Celebration Of

Music & Education. The young musicians will record at the legendary Capitol Studios & Mastering in Hollywood, courtesy of the EMI Music Group.

Grammy Jazz Ensembles albums from 2007– 2011 are available for purchase at online music outlets such as Amazon, iTunes, Napster, and

Rhapsody.

The Grammy Foundation has run this program since 1993, and is now accepting applications for 2013. For more information, visit

www.grammyintheschools.com.

MSHS musicians on all-state band

DECEMBER 1, 2011 · 10:32 AM

Two Mount Si High School students were selected by the Washington Music Education Association for All-State Bands. Boone Hapke, bassoon, was

selected to play in the concert band at the state’s annual concert, set for February 20 in Yakima. Matt Bumgardner, trombone, was chosen for the

jazz band. Mount Si band leader Adam Rupert noted that the jazz band features only 17 musicians, and that Bumgarder is one of only four

trombone players in the state chosen for All-State honors.

Mount Si had five students audition for All-State.

Twin Falls celebrates 'Cafe Night' at Boxley's

PHOTO COURTESY JIM REITZ

Twin Falls musicians stepped into the spotlight for the Twin Falls Cafe Night at Boxley's in North Bend on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

NOVEMBER 15, 2011 · 1:21 PM



21

While many local residents waited for election results the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 8, a large crowd of enthusiastic parents, students and

performers packed Boxley’s in North Bend for the fourth annual Twin Falls Middle School Café Night.

Music students from Matt Wenman’s band and choir classes at TFMS were encouraged to sign up for their moment in the spotlight. The event

showcased 32 students who sang and played guitar, piano, flute, trumpet, tuba, clarinet and sax. Students performed Broadway hits, favorite pop

songs, jazz classics and original compositions. One parent commented, “This is my favorite event of the entire school year. It is just wonderful to

see the kids enjoy music and feel proud sharing their talents with such an appreciative crowd.” Organizers wish to thank the Boxley’s staff for

accommodating the patrons and making it such a great experience.

Café Night was the start of an exciting schedule for the music program at Twin Falls. The TFMS Choir will have its first concert of the season on

Thursday, Nov. 17 and the TFMS Band will follow a week later with their winter concert on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Both concerts will be held in the

Commons of Twin Falls Middle School at 7 p.m. The concerts are free and the public is invited.

Learn more about the music program, future events and the music lesson scholarship drive at the TFMS Music Booster Website:

http://www.tfmsmusic.org/

Kindergarten classes to put on piggy opus

April 4, 2012 By Staff

The kindergarten classes of Snoqualmie Elementary School will put on performances of “Three Piggy Opera” April 19.

The morning kindergarten classes’ performance will be at 11 a.m. at the school gymnasium.

The full-day and afternoon kindergarten classes’ performance will be at 2 p.m. in the same venue, and before the children’s schoolmates, according

to an email from the school to parents.

Opstad Elementary School has also scheduled a performance of “Three Piggy Opera” for 6 p.m. May 17.

All-girl lineup shows talent at SnoValley Idol Junior finals

April 4, 2012 By Sebastian Moraga; Photos by Sebastian Moraga

McKenna Esteb (from left), Annie Bruckner and Tori Rose, the first-, second-, and third-place finishers at the 2012 SnoValley Idol Junior contest

March 31.

Fourteen girls competed in the finals of the eight-year-old event. On a wet night, musical talent reigned inside Mount Si High School on March 30.

The eighth annual SnoValley Idol Junior contest showcased some of the most talented teen and pre-teen singers in the region. Fan-favorite

McKenna Esteb, of Fall City, won the contest with a rendition of “Halo,” a Beyonce song. Annie Bruckner finished second and Tori Rose finished

third. Esteb, an eighth-grader at Chief Kanim Middle School, was the 11th of 14 singers that evening. She had a strong stage presence, stepping

upstage to sing to the audience, and talking to the crowd (“I love you, I love you.”). Her up-tempo choice of song and her talent also helped draw

the crowd in. This was Esteb’s first year in the competition. A longtime singer, she said she only got serious about it last year, and began working

with a vocal coach. Esteb wants to be a professional singer when she grows up. She practiced on her church’s stage to prepare for the competition.

“I was pretty surprised. It took me a while to realize that I had won the whole thing,” she said. She won a $50 gift card, a trophy and a teddy bear,

whom she named after her friend Brianna, another contestant in the competition. The contest featured mostly middle- and grade-schoolers and

only one high-schooler — Mikaela Ballard, from Cedarcrest High School. Eighth-grader Bruckner sang “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Actress

Stockard Channing, as Betty Rizzo, sang it in the 1978 movie “Grease.” “I have been watching that movie since I was 4,” Bruckner said. “I always

felt bad for Rizzo.” Sixth-grader Rose’s voice was a perfect fit for her choice of song, “Angel,” by Sarah McLachlan.

“I just knew the song and my mom really liked it,” Rose said, adding she did not mind finishing third. “It’s a good experience anyway,” she said.

This was Rose’s fifth year in the contest and likely her last, she said. “I just have done it five years and it’s time to try something new,” she added.

Judges selected Bruckner, Rose and Esteb as finalists and then let the audience vote for their favorite to decide the winner. Both Rose and Esteb

had brought a large contingent of fans, so when the emcee announced that Rose had finished third, Bruckner could not hide her surprise. “I really



22

thought I was going to get third,” Bruckner said. “I guess I feel OK finishing second, but it’s kind of a coincidence because Tori finished third last

year, too.” Bruckner and Rose differed on their views of how a winner gets elected. “It’s a big popularity contest, and it’s been that way for a

while,” Bruckner said matter-of-factly. “In the end it’s all about who brought the most friends.” Rose said she liked getting the audience involved.

“It lets the audience be more of a part of it,” she said. “If it wasn’t that way it would not be as much fun for friends and stuff.”

Senior chosen to play in prestigious band

March 1, 2012 By Staff

Matt Bumgardner, a North Bend senior at Mount Si High School, continued his month of milestones when the 2012 Jazz Band of America ensemble

chose him to participate. Bumgardner, a member of the high school’s jazz band and wind ensemble, performed for the Grammy Foundation’s 17-

piece jazz band in Los Angeles in February, touring for 10 days. The Jazz Band of America will perform on the Butler University campus in

Indianapolis on March 16. The band is a national ensemble whose members apply to join. Grammy award-winning composer John Clayton is the

director of the band. Students from seven states and 17 high schools will perform in the band. This is the third year Bumgardner, a trombonist, will

participate in Jazz Band of America according to a press release.

Bumgardner has been named an All-State Jazz Band member twice, and in 2011 he won a certificate of merit from the National Essentially Ellington

High School Jazz Band Competition in 2011.

Nikki Winters charms at Wildcat Idol

February 1, 2012 By Sebastian Moraga

Nikki Winters is a junior at Mount Si High School. And in the dark auditorium of her school, she shined. Winters, a student with autism, won first

place at the ninth annual Wildcat Idol contest, earning thunderous applause each of the three times she sang during the two-week competition.

Nothing unusual about that, said her family. Nikki’s last name may evoke clouds, but her personality is famously sunny.

Nikki Winters, a Mount Si High School student, performs during the semifinals of the ninth annual Wildcat Idol. Winters went on to win the

competition. “I attended this school,” her older sister Megan said. “And people knew Nikki. Everyone knew Nikki, and they only later realized that I

was her sister.” During the first week of Wildcat Idol, Nikki earned herself a standing ovation. The second week, she blew the audience away again.

And these weren’t aw-look-at-her-try ovations. These ovations are the kind you give someone who moves you, who charms you. Who shines. “I

have been singing my whole life,” said Nikki before the Wildcat Idol finals, wearing a pink dress, and speaking in measured, almost clipped

cadences. She stared straight ahead, while her mother smiled. Then, the lights dimmed, her turn came, she sang “God Help The Outcast,” and the

audience took to its feet again. “It’s a triumph,” her mother Penny Johansen said. “To be told she was going to be in therapy her whole life, that

she would not be able to read or write, it’s just so great to see her up there.”

Nikki said she felt excited, but not nervous. Devoid of professional training,

she does have two years of experience as a member of the school’s concert

choir. “Sometimes, I feel very proud of my voice,” she said. To Penny, it goes

beyond pride. As a child with autism, Nikki can focus better when singing,

because she can block out the world around her, Penny said. “Being autistic,

they don’t have the same filters we have,” Penny said. “She does not know

she should be scared.”

Megan agreed. Nikki is fascinated by a sight that turns most brave souls into

bowls of Jell-O. “If there’s a microphone on a stage,” Megan said, “she’s up there.” She will even offer strangers a chance to do a duet.

Ninth annual Wildcat Idol winners

First place: Nikki Winters

Second place: Chase Rabideau

Third place: Madelynn Esteb



23

“I’d like to go to the Raging River and go to karaoke,” she told a visitor. Her future for the longer term is a little less clear, but Penny and Nikki said

they refuse to worry. As long as there is music around, Nikki will be fine. “I just want her to do whatever makes her happy,” Penny said. After the

contest, the Valley did not have a resident happier than a certain mother. “I am so proud of her,” Penny wrote in an email. “She is an inspiration

and shows us all that we can overcome anything.”

Mount Si band hits HIGH NOTES

January 4, 2012 By Sebastian Moraga

Mount Si High School junior Aaron Tevis during the winter concert last month.

It’s a great time to be a musician at Mount Si High School. Students flock to the younger ensembles and bands. More experienced groups have hit

the big time. Bands work as a group and individuals have added extra luster. It translates to a busy second semester for band director Adam

Rupert. “We are busy and that’s good,” Rupert said before winter break.

Jamming with the stars

The elite ensemble of the program is making the most noise. Next semester will bring big names and bigger venues to the band known as Jazz 1.

Jazz 1 will first travel to a festival at Central Washington University Jan. 20. The Ellensburg-based university is Rupert’s alma mater. On Jan. 20, Jazz

1 will audition for New York’s Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Competition. The ensemble will record three pieces for it. In February, the band will

travel to a jazz festival in Poulsbo. Last year, the band won it. From March 27-30, the band will travel to the Swing Central Jazz Festival in

Savannah, Ga. “That’s the biggest one,” said trombonist Matt Bumgardner, a member of Jazz 1 and the wind ensemble. Aaron Tevis, trumpet

player for the band, said more than 100 bands auditioned and only 12 made it, including Mount Si. Essentially, Ellington and Swing Central are the

nation’s top jazz festivals for high school bands, he added. In return, Swing Central clinician and renowned trombonist Wycliffe Gordon will teach

at the high school for free. Students will love the experience, Rupert said, but that should not be all. “There’s still a competition at hand,” he said.

“You want to make memories, but we also want to improve as musicians.” The gem of the trip, Rupert said, will be listening to the other bands

play live. Listening is a huge part of jazz, he said, and Swing Central will gather the best in the nation.

All in symphony

Rupert knows about gems. The symphonic band, for incoming freshmen and other beginners, carries many future virtuosos.

The band has its largest freshman class ever. Fifty-three ninth-graders joined. “It’s the result of hard work that stems back from fifth-grade band,”

Rupert said. “and getting a good, solid foundation at the middle-school level.” The band has 70-plus members. A room with six dozen ninth-

graders may qualify as torture in some circles, but to Rupert it’s great. The children want to be there. “Classroom management is less of an issue

when the kids have bought in to what they are doing and are invested in what they are doing,” he said.

Feeling the rush

The wind ensemble carries more experienced players — 52 in total, no freshmen, mostly juniors and seniors.

Like all the other groups, the ensemble requires long hours, a deep commitment from both the students and the teacher, he said.

“It’s difficult to build a successful program without a substantial investment from you and your family,” said Rupert, whose wife is a music teacher

in the Tahoma School District. “Being a music teacher,” Rupert said, “you never leave music at work. Music goes home with you.” Rupert said he

wants to create appreciators of music, not professional musicians. Playing opportunities abound, he said, for players not seeking a major or a minor

in music.

Reaching for the stars

Jazz 2 gathers the students still learning “the language of jazz.” “Music is of course a language,” Rupert said. “But even within that, jazz is so

specific. We focus on music not written on the page.” A jazz band solo, Rupert said, is more of a road map than a note-by-note guidebook.

Performers get a symbol and a letter and that tells them which way to go, he added. Students in Jazz 2 still are feeling their way around the idioms,

he added. Bumgardner, a senior, sees plenty of potential in the younger band.

“They took second in their division at the Bellevue festival last year,” he said. “There’s a lot of really good promising young players.”

Bumgardner never played for Jazz 2. Tevis did. “It was really good for me,” he said. “It increased my motivation to go up higher and it made me a

better player.” Like Rupert, Bumgardner said he believes that promise extends to the middle school performers who will join once in high school.

Rupert predicted the jazz ensembles at Mount Si High School will grow so much in a couple of years that the school will have a Jazz 3. The third jazz

band will add to Rupert’s workload, but he said he loves what he does.



24

“The long hours aren’t as long when you work with great kids,” he said.

Guitar classes bring music to Snoqualmie Elementary students

October 13, 2011 By Sebastian Moraga

Students at Snoqualmie Elementary School master the guitar after school.

It’s a groovy feeling Monday afternoons at Snoqualmie Elementary School. Just ask the students exiting Portable 28 to show you their fingers —

you’ll see grooves right across the middle of their fingertips. Such is the price to pay for guitar stardom. Students are learning how to master the

guitar, one painful squeeze of a chord at a time. And if you think the whole “guitar stardom” thing is a cliché, ask Nate Byford. He is learning the

guitar for one reason. “I want to be in a band,” the fifth-grader said.

He later asked the instructor, Bill Bliven, for a the name of a good brand of electric guitar. Lorie Byford, his mother, took the news in stride. “His

main goal right now is jazz band next year, in middle school,” she said with a laugh. “That’s a little bit better.”

Songs in the lessons vary from artists like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Kesha to the song “Frère Jacques.” Students inch closer to the day when

they can switch chords without grimacing. And they just can’t wait. It’s only their second lesson out of 10, and yet when the name Michael Jackson

shows up on the screen, a student suggests the class try playing “Thriller.”

Bliven, a former music teacher at Opstad Elementary School, teaches the after-school class year round at four elementary schools in the Valley.

With the patience of the manager at a daycare center, Bliven keeps his group focused, with the aid of a software called Gitarrero, and a generous

hand when doling out compliments. Students munch on cheese crackers, M&Ms and other goodies, but never stray too far from the lesson. And

with good reason. While Byford wants to be in a band, Willem Kohn wants to emulate a cool, guitar-playing cousin. Paige Lee wants to write her

own songs someday. That is, if her hungry guitar lets her.

“My guitar ate my pick,” Lee told Bliven, who is also her grandfather. Bliven flipped and shook the guitar, the pick plummeted to the floor and the

lesson continued, with Alvin and his pals squeaking out “Funkytown,” as the students practiced the chords.

“It’s just rewarding to watch students have fun, and hearing things like a student saying he plays with his dad,” Bliven said. “Knowing that they are

going to add music to their lives and their families, that’s very rewarding.”



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Future Jazz Heads are a work(shop) in progress

May 2, 2012 By Sebastian Moraga

By Sebastian Moraga Cole Van Gerpen, at left, Michelle John, center, and Joey Petroske play during Future Jazz Heads, a mixture of music workshop and live performance for

middle- and high-schoolers. The children play in front of paying customers and musical experts, receiving advice in between songs.

Make a mistake and you’re human. Make a mistake before a crowd and you’re an embarrassed human. Make a mistake before a crowd and love

it? Then, you’re a jazz head in the making. Future Jazz Heads gathers middle- and high-schoolers to play music before an audience at Boxley’s

restaurant in North Bend. “Mistakes are a lot more prominent when people are watching,” said eighth-grader Will Crandall, who said failing before

an audience is a powerful motivator. When a musician errs during practice, eighth-grader Joey Petroske said, he or she can always start over. Not

so with paying customers around. “You have to keep going,” he said. “And fix your mistakes later.” After and sometimes during each song,

children learn from professional musicians like Twin Falls Middle School band director Matt Wenman, Mount Si High School band director Adam

Rupert and longtime musician Chris Clark. “It’s brought out a lot of things in me,” said the 72-year-old Clark, who began playing at age 8 and who

played for stars like Jerry Lewis and Mel Torme. “While these kids have been playing for seven years, I have been playing for seven decades.” The

tips from the adults help children improve, eighth-grader Cole Van Gerpen said. The live-concert atmosphere helps them overcome stage fright,

said eighth-grader Michelle John. The most important lesson for the children, Clark said, is learning how to play as an ensemble, and listening to

one another. “What we want is a family that plays together,” Clark said. “As long as they look at it from the standpoint of only themselves, it will

impede their progress. I call it the Me-Me-Me school, and there’s a lot of it in jazz.”

John and Crandall said their skills have improved since they joined Future Jazz Heads, which meets two Tuesday nights a month.

“It’s really helped me excel,” John said. The pros also benefit from it. “To see the moment when they really love what they are doing,” Wenman

said, “it makes me want to work harder.” Everything that happens at Future Jazz Heads benefits children, Wenman said. The only downside is that

children are too busy to attend sometimes. When they do, they often can’t stay until the end of the show.

“To get them here on a Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m.,” Wenman said, “if they stay here until then, when do they do homework? Once they are here,

they want to do this every week.” Wenman, who grew up in Gig Harbor, said he would have loved to have a chance like this back then, performing

and learning at once. Now the children of the Valley have that. It will be even better, Wenman said, once the community hears of it. “If every kid

and parent and teacher really knew how amazing this is,” he said, “on Tuesday nights you wouldn’t be able to find a seat.”



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APPENDIX II: Attrition Survey Detail

# REASONS

1 I don't like band/choir

2 I don't want to have to audition

3 Being in band or choir this year was an easy grade

4 Don't know about MSHS choir/band

5 Don't know HS choir director/don't know if I'd like him/her

6 Don't know the HS band director/don't know if I'd like him/her

7 Music isn't important for high school or chosen career

8 Heard bad things about the high school choir or band from other kids

9 No room in my schedule for band or choir in 9th grade


11 My parents told me to take other electives

12 Teachers/counselors told me to take other electives

13 Being in choir/band is not cool

14 My friends aren't taking choir/band

15 Can't afford lessons or instrument

18

21

1311 12

1

16

6

28

34

10

4 4

16

3

17

8 9

6

3

6

18

7

21

34

6

3

8

13

5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

# o

f re

spo

nse

s (m

ore

th

an

on

e r

esp

on

se/s

tud

en

t

po

ssib

le)

Reasons for not choosing band or choir in HS

Reasons why current 8th graders are NOT choosing

to continue band/choir next year

Choir

Band



27

Summary of comments

Comments for not choosing Band

# of

responses

Comments for not choosing Choir

# of

responses

Want to try other electives, not enough

elective space or not important to career 16

Don't like choir; the music; not fun 22

Don't like band; not proficient and don't

like the instrument 15

No room in the schedule; want

other electives; too many other

options 10

Not enough time to practice; time

consuming 6

Don't like the current director 7

Don't like the current teacher 3

Not going to MSHS 5

Misc: chose choir instead, play piano,

price of rental 3

Outside conflicts 4

Can't read music 2

Other misc. 3

date: may 9, 2012 geoff doy dan popp carolyn...

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