Eleven students from Oak Harbor High School have made it into selective honor orchestras and bands, setting a new record for the school.
Five students have qualified for a statewide concert band. One student qualified for a statewide orchestra, and five students qualified either for the All Northwest Band or the All Northwest Orchestra, which is made of the best student musicians from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska.
The program is part of the Washington Music Educators Association, a division of the National Association for Music Education. In February, the students will travel to Bellevue and spend a day and half learning a piece of music to perform together.
Brandon Nelson, marching band coach and band and guitar teacher at Oak Harbor High School, said it was normal to have no students accepted when he started working at the district seven years ago. In recent years, he said he’s gotten better at preparing students for their auditions.
The music students had to learn was posted in May. Nelson said the students worked on the music, which were college-level pieces, all summer long. In September, the students sent in recordings of themselves playing the music because the judging process is blind.
“They don’t know anything about race or gender or where they are from so it’s equitable,” Nelson explained.
He also attributed this year’s success to private teacher Sean Brown, who works with several of the students who were accepted.
“When you kind of do the math, the kids who play in the All Northwest Concert Band or Orchestra are among the best 20 players in the six states on their instruments,” Brown said.
Trombonists Lola Chargualaf and Skooter Fagan and trumpeters Hannah Mayne and Isadora White made it into the All Northwest Band, which is the second-highest honor band below the all Northwest Orchestra. Jack Culligan, who plays percussion, made it in the All Northwest Orchestra.
Trumpeter Jake Bailey made it into the All State Orchestra, which has the higher level of wind players, as a freshman. Trumpeter Oliver Abercrombie, trombonists Eddy Perera and Abigail Paul, French hornist Ethan Brady and clarinetist Michael Lopez made it into the All State Concert Band.
“I’m so excited for these kids,” Brown said at a student recital last Friday. “I absolutely love working with them.”
Fagan, Mayne, Bailey, Abercrombie, Brady and Perera all performed at the recital. All of them said they were surprised to learn that their auditions had been successful.
“I’m very excited for it,” Mayne said of the February concert. “The music I’m sure is going to be amazing.”
She added that was looking forward to meeting people at the event, especially other kids who are interested in playing a higher level of music.
Brown said he didn’t think the students were aware of the prestige of the program yet and that it would set in once they were actually there. He attended it himself when he was in high school.
“It’s a pretty big deal,” he said.
The program used to provide a financial aid option but now students are required to pay a participation fee and money for travel and a hotel. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a student, contact Brandon Nelson at bnelson@ohsd.net.
The Oak Harbor High School Jazz Band is performing a free holiday concert at the Oak Harbor Senior Center at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 9.
Photo by Rachel Rosen/Whidbey News-Times Oak Harbor senior Hannah Mayne plays the trumpet and was accepted into the the All Northwest Band, which consists of the best student musicians from six states.
