Tag Archive for: Music

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Auditions for Journey Theater’s ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ Coming March 22, 25

Journey Theater is accepting auditions for roles in their upcoming play, “Singin’ in the Rain’ on March 22 and 25. Here are the details.

REHEARSALS:

June 13 through July 18

Fridays 5 – 9pm & Saturdays 9am – 2pm + select Thursday evenings

Performances to be held at Manor Church in Battle Ground

July 25 – August 2, 2025

Direction by Beka Hardt

Music Direction by Amy Forstrom

Choreography by Chelsea Nicole Lapp

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

Journey Theater is seeking performers ages 13 and up. Seeking tappers/actors/singers to play featured roles and actors, dancers and singers to play multiple ensemble roles. Please prepare 16 bars of a musical theater song that shows vocal range and technical ability. Bring an instrumental backing track (downloaded audio file – no streaming, please). If you are auditioning for a specific role, please be familiar with the songs from the show, as you may be asked to sing a selection at auditions.  All auditioning MUST bring a current headshot and resume in addition to audition forms. Auditions will be closed.  For more information or sign-up for an audition spot, go to: www.journeytheater.org, select SHOWS and then Singin’ in the Rain.

Requirements: $100 per cast member production fee. Each cast member must be represented by a volunteer production committee member (to serve on Costumes, Sets, Props, Refreshments, Programs, Public Relations, etc.). Volunteers will receive 1 ticket.  

Questions?  

Contact Shannon McIlroy – 425-306-1106, s.mcilroy@journeytheater.org

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61st ANNUAL CLARK COLLEGE JAZZ FESTIVAL RESULTS

Vancouver, WA — After three full days of the return of the Annual Clark College Jazz Festival, the outstanding musician awards and the evening finals results for the 61st Annual Clark College Jazz Festival have been announced. For 2025, the Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes trophy was awarded to Mountain View High School Jazz I, Vancouver, WA.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Middle School Silver division jazz ensemble finals results:

1st place – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

2nd place – Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, WA

3rd place – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

A Division:        

1st place – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

2nd place – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

3rd place – Beaumont Middle School Jazz Ambassadors, Portland, OR

Outstanding Middle School Jazz Section Awards were presented to:

Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, WA – Best Trombone Section

Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA – Best Trumpet Section

Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA – Best Rhythm Section

Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA – Best Saxophone Section

Outstanding Section Awards for Division “A” were presented to:

Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA – Best Saxophone Section

South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA – Best Trumpet Section

South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA – Best Trombone Section

Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR – Best Rhythm Section

Outstanding Middle School Jazz Musician certificates were presented to:

Archer Kleiss – Sellwood Middle School, Portland, OR

Sean Hansman – Sellwood Middle School, Portland, OR

Maddy Gilbert – View Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield, WA

Maxton Hill – Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis, WA

Jackson Groberg – Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis, WA

Kylie Grier – Laurin Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Henry Ormson – Wy’East Middle School, Vancouver, WA

Addie Sahler – Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Jack Levenson – Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR

Ben Beadie – Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR

Charles Moen – Skyridge Middle School, Camas, WA

Gio Ramirez – Aspire Middle School, Lacey, WA

Jack Andreev – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

Landon Brown – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

Ashton Clark – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

Linnea Currens – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

Keiran Ohta – Liberty Middle School, Camas, WA

Julia Vaughan – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Audrey Senescall – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Lenka Dzunic – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Oren Sternberg – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Carson Coker – Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Outstanding high school musician awards for the A Division were presented to:

Lila Witherrite – Columbia High School, White Salmon, WA

Jeremy Solis – Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, WA

Francisco Ramirez-Vasquez – Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, WA

Graham Rank – Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, WA

Eve Breithaupt – Northwinds Homeschool, Port Angeles, WA

Evan Krall – Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR

Jack Flusche – Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR

Stephen Samwell – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Gibson Lueck – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Brennan Richardson – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Kyler Dixon – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Leo Gerhart – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Nancy Nguyen – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Connor Porter – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Liam Watkins – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Abram Durham – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Mila Wright – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Olin Nelson – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Felix Kehl – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Irene Stewart – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Friday, January 31, 2025

Outstanding middle school and high school musician awards for the Comments Only bands were presented to:

Soren Vrosh – Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, WA

Eli Lennick – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Joseph McKnight – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Beatrix Heller – Vernon Middle School, Portland, OR

Colton Woods – Covington Middle School, Portland, OR

Trinity Harter – Covington Middle School, Portland, OR

Keira Osburn – West Valley High School, Yakima, WA

Hyrum Jensen – West Valley High School, Yakima, WA

AA division high school jazz ensemble finals results:

AA Division:       1st place – Mountain View High School Jazz II, Vancouver, WA

2nd place – W.F. West High School, Chehalis, WA

3rd place – Heritage High School Jazz II, Vancouver, WA

Outstanding middle school and high school musician awards for the AA Division were presented to:

Maggie Eldridge – West Valley High School, Yakima, WA

Oliver Stub – La Center High School, La Center, WA

Sophie Ohle – Parkrose High School, Portland, OR

Daiel Gerber – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Zach Hillenbrand – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Reggie Kellog – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Joshua Leahu – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Elliott Emerson – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Isaiah McCaw – Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, WA

Furious Hill – Columbia River High School, Vancouver, WA

Macie MacDonald – Columbia River High School, Vancouver, WA

Caleb Gill – W.F. West High School, Chehalis, WA

Joy Sanchez – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Cormac Saleem – Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle, WA

Saturday, February 1, 2025

AAA and AAAA division high school jazz ensemble finals results:

AAA Division:    1st place – Mountain View High School Jazz I, Vancouver, WA

2nd place – Grant High School Jazz II, Portland, OR

3rd place – Heritage High School Jazz I, Vancouver, WA

AAAA Division: 1st Place – Garfield High School Jazz I, Seattle, WA

                                                2nd Place – Grant High School Jazz I, Portland, OR

                                                3rd Place – Union High School Jazz I, Camas, WA

Outstanding high school musician awards for the AAA Division were presented to:

Reese Billington – Union High School, Camas, WA

Reed Bevan – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Sasi Isreb – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Rowan Ducker – Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, OR

Mia Jensen – Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, OR

Gavin DeMoss – Prairie High School, Vancouver, WA

William Johnstone – Prairie High School, Vancouver, WA

Lillian LaFontaine – Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, WA

Jack Melton – Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, WA

George Powell – Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, WA

Levi Brown – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Mason Seal – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Thilo Kluth – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Jack Smith – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Brenden Weber – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Sam Brookover – Garfield High School, Seattle, WA

Gabe Lawrence – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Meler Eagan – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Nathan Doyle – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Beckett VanDyke – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Riley Mason – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Harrison Matz – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Rey Notarte – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Venunye Tamakloe – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Bella Fitzgerald, Kenji Tanaka – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Shiloh Rush – Mountain View High School, Vancouver, WA

Sachita Kadirvelu – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Nathan Jonart – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Henry Ngo – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Dakotah Leach – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Outstanding high school musician awards for the AAAA Division were presented to:

Holly Hesemann – Glencoe High School, Hillsboro, OR
Mila Kaplan – Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego, OR

Elaina Stupples – Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego, OR

Matsya Vinodh – Branham High School, San Jose, CA

Jonah Travers Powers – Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA

Aubrey Grier – Prairie High School, Vancouver, WA

Ruth Sprenger – Prairie High School, Vancouver, WA

Driggs Hemming – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Ekaterina Kalinin – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Maddox Cheen-Connley – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Isabelle Cryan – Union High School, Camas, WA

Cooper Givens – Union High School, Camas, WA

Timothy Park – Garfield High School, Seattle, WA

Brayden Wang – Garfield High School, Seattle, WA

Will Heath – Garfield High School, Seattle, WA

Bolan Delange – Garfield High School, Seattle, WA

Zia Doughty – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Sasha Burns – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Xander Buck – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Kylie Forston – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Brody Gray – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Congratulations to all the fine bands who participated!   Please join us next year on the last weekend of January for the 62nd Annual Clark College Jazz Festival!

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61st Annual 3-Day Clark College Jazz Festival Coming January 30

VANCOUVER, WA — Clark College hosts the 61st Annual Clark College Jazz Festival in three full days of big band jazz on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, January 30 – February 1, 2025 in the Gaiser Student Center, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver WA 98663. Admission is $10 per day.  Clark College students and children under 12 accompanied by an adult will be admitted free of charge.

Sixty middle and high school jazz ensembles from throughout Washington and Oregon are scheduled to perform in this year’s competition with trophies presented to the top three jazz ensembles for middle schools and A through AAAA division high schools.  Individual outstanding musician awards will also be presented at the end of each division’s preliminary competitions.  At the end of Saturday evening, the Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes Award will be presented to one outstanding band selected from the entire festival. 

Preliminary competitions for the 2025 festival will begin on Thursday (Jan 30) with middle schools performing from 8 am to noon and the Division A high school bands competing from 1:45-4:45 pm. The Finals competition for Middle School and Division A begins at 7:00 p.m. The AA Division competition runs from 9 am – 4:30 pm on Friday (Jan 31) and the AAA and AAAA jazz bands take the stage on Saturday (Feb 1) beginning at 8:00 a.m. Finals competitions will begin at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings ending with the trophy presentations.

The Clark College Jazz Bands, under the direction of Festival Director Dr. Doug Harris, will perform at following times:

Jazz Band II – Thursday, Jan 30, 4:40 pm

Jazz Band I – Thursday, Jan 30, 8:30 pm

Jazz Band I – Friday, Jan 31, 7:45 pm

Jazz Band I – Saturday, Feb 1, 12:20 pm

The 2024 Sweepstakes Band, Bothell High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Phil Dean, will hold the spotlight on Saturday evening at 8:30 pm. 

A special ticketed fundraising concert by the Portland based JUJUBA (jujuba.org) will be on Wednesday, (Jan 29) at 7:30 pm to kick off the 61st Festival celebration.  The Clark College Jazz Band I opens the performance.  Only 400 seats.  Tickets $20 at the door (cash, check, cc).  more info at 360-992-2662 or sjwilliams@clark.edu.

Jujuba is a 10-piece Afrobeat and Juju band features Nigerian Master Talking Drum Legen, Nojeem Lasisi, a world-class West African and Cuban percussion section, a blazing horn section, and a funky electric rhythm section. Lasisi ranks among the world’s elite talking drum players. Nojeem was given his first drum at age four by his father, also a master drummer, who handed down to Nojeem its powerful language. As a member of Nigerian superstar King Sunny Ade’s group, the African Beats, Nojeem toured the world and appears on numerous recordings with King Sunny, including “Seven Degrees North” and “Odu”. Marc Silverman (keys) and Ethan Flaherty (guitar) moved to Portland in 1999 with a driven focus to start a band built on a foundation of West African drumming. Their studies of Ghanaian drumming, and Marc’s travels in Africa listening to and learning rhythms in Tanzania and Ghana, inspired an idea in Marc to apply these rhythms to bass, keyboard, and guitar parts in an electric rhythm section. After playing with hundreds of musicians during their first few years in Portland, Marc and Ethan met percussionist Tobias Manthey, who brought them together with his teacher, Nojeem Lasisi, for the first rehearsal of what would become Jujuba.

For complete information about the Clark College Music Department concerts featuring the orchestra, band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/jazz_festival/index.php.

The History of the Clark College Jazz Festival

The heritage of the Clark College Jazz Festival dates back to 1962 when Hud­son’s Bay H.S. band director, Don Cammack, began organizing a one-day high school stage band invitational for schools from Clark and Skamania coun­ties. Organized by the Vancouver and Evergreen public schools, Fort Vancou­ver H.S. and Evergreen H.S took turns hosting the festival each year. Sponsors of the festival included Southwest Washington Music Association and Lower Columbia River Music Educators Association. In the early years, the trophies were made by middle school band director, Jack Ager, creatively construct­ing musician figures from miscellaneous hardware and car parts! In 1970, Dale Beacock, then the band director at both Fort Vancouver H.S. and Clark Col­lege, held the invitational “Clark Stage Band Contest” for the first time at its current home, Clark College. This inaugural event hosted 17 high school jazz bands with preliminary competitions held in what was then known as the Gaiser Hall dining area, with finals in the gymnasium. Dale’s vision of a competitive jazz showcase for schools throughout Washington and greater Portland pro­moted the growth of the festival and in 1971 the festival grew to 32 bands held over two days on Friday and Saturday. In 1976 the number of participating bands grew to 52, welcoming bands from Oregon and Idaho. In 1985, Chuck Ramsey took over the reigns as Festival Coordinator successfully organizing the festival for the next 22 years. Chuck’s achievements bringing consistency in the operations of the festival and increased student involvement set the ground­work for the educational enhancement, leadership, teamwork, and a sense of ownership the Clark student volunteers experience today. In 2008, Richard Inouye came onboard as Festival Director. His professional and educational experience has brought a new dynamic to the festival by encouraging a focus on jazz education and utilizing technology to promote community awareness, public support, and streamline festival operations. In 2012, the Clark College Jazz Festival celebrated its 50th Golden Anniversary. Highlights of this milestone included the Clark College Alumni Band directed by Chuck Ramsey which fea­tured Clark band alumni from three generations of Clark band directors. Dale Beacock and Chuck were also presented Legacy Sweepstakes Awards for their historic contributions to the festival. In 2013, the festival went international welcoming two bands from Tsawwassen, British Columbia! Today the Annual Clark College Jazz Fes­tival welcomes 60 middle and high school jazz ensembles, over 1,200 student jazz musicians to the campus, and over 3,000 people to the Vancouver com­munity throughout the three-day event.

Dr. Doug Harris is the Director of Bands at Clark College since Fall 2018, after serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Western Kentucky University, and Director of Bands at Santa Clara University and Southern Utah University. He also enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a high school band director in Florida. Dr. Harris received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Florida, his Master of Arts and Doctor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. Doug is active clinician and adjudicator in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, Utah, California and Washington, is a freelance trumpet player and has worked on the brass staff of the Madison Scouts, Sacramento Mandarins, Teal Sound and Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps. He is active as a composer, arranger and transcriber and is published in the Grand Mesa Music catalog.

Jazz
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9th Annual Clark College Fall Choral Festival Coming Nov. 15

Vancouver, WA — The Clark College Music Department is hosting the 9th Annual Fall Choral Festival on Friday, November 15, 2024 in Gaiser Student Center on the campus of Clark College. A total of 18 area middle and high school chamber and concert choirs will sing in this non-competitive festival which runs from 8 am to 4 pm.  Tickets are $5/person for the day.

Clinicians for this festival include: Dr. Katy Green, Dr. John Guarente, Dr. Shohei Kobayashi, and Dr. Tiffany Walker.

“I’m thrilled that we’ll have so many choirs visiting campus for our festival and I’m excited to hear the great work they are doing,” says Festival Director Dr. Jacob Funk, who is also the Director of Choirs at Clark College. “Participating choirs get the chance to work with some highly skilled clinicians and receive written feedback on their performance. Each choir will also get to have a mini-clinic onstage, allowing for the other schools to see how a different choir learns new ways to succeed. Two of the Clark College Choirs will perform for all the participating choirs in the middle of the festival. It will be a wonderful time of music making, learning, and supporting each other in song.”

For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

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Clark College Orchestra Spring Concert Features Kreston in Lark Ascending

The award-winning Clark College Orchestra performs their Spring Concert of the 2023-2024 season under the baton of Music Director/Conductor Dr. Donald Appert on Friday, June 14, 2024, 7:30 pm at Columbia Presbyterian Church, 805 Columbia Ridge Dr. Vancouver, WA. The program features violinist Anthea Kreston as soloist performing Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending and Ravel’s  Tzigane.  The concert will conclude with Dvorak Symphony No. 9 “ From the New World”. The admission is free and open to the public.  

For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

Donald Appert has appeared as a guest conductor in Japan, Australia, Central America, and throughout Europe.  In Italy La’ovadese wrote, “…the performance of the ‘Serenade in C Major’ of Tchaikovsky, under the exceptional direction of Appert, was in such a style that it brought out the elegance and grace of the melodic lines with Mozartian inspiration.  …The L’Orchestra Sinfonica Città di Grosseto… performed the Barber ‘Adagio’ with rare effectiveness, emphasizing its intrinsically rich melody.”  Giornale di Sicilla praised his interpretation of Nielsen’s First Symphony as “lyrical with an airy freshness,” and his conducting as “precise, painstakingly accurate, and diligent.” He has guest conducted orchestras in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia, El Salvador, and Japan.He currently serves as the Music Director/Conductor of the Oregon Sinfonietta and the Jewish Community Orchestra of Portland.

Dr. Appert was awarded the 2020 Winner of The American Prize in Orchestral Programming. He won this same award in 2011 and in 2015 was named an Honored Artist by The American Prize Competition.  He is a recipient of the 2019 – 2020 Clark College Exceptional Faculty Awards, several ASCAPLUS Awards in recognition of his performances of his own compositions in Italy, Qatar, Europe, Central America, Japan, and the United States.  In 2014, Dr. Appert received the Clark County Arts Commission Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award, and in 2009, he received the Washington Community College Humanities Association Exemplary Status Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Humanities.

Violinist Anthea Kreston enjoys varied musical career. She has performed as a chamber musician in concert halls throughout Europe (from London’s Wigmore Hall to Berlin’s Philharmonie), through Asia, and the United States (Carnegie to the Herbst Theater in San Francisco). She was a member of the internationally renowned Artemis String Quartet, based in Berlin, Germany.  As a recording artist for Warner Classics, she has received both the Echo Award, Europe’s Grammy Award, and the Diaspason D’Or, France’s highest award from music critics. 

Anthea also enjoys writing, penning a popular articles for the London-based Slipped Disk, and as the curator of the Fortnightly Music Book Club.  She is the executive and artistic director of Majestic Chamber Music Series, and has taught at the University of the Arts Berlin and as a Master Teacher, the Queen Elizabeth Chapel in Brussels, and  the Curtis Institute of Music. Her teachers include Ida Kavafian, Shmuel Ashkenasi, the Emerson Quartet and Isaac Stern.   

The San Diego Reader said of her “… Anthea is a soloist of the Heifetz- Shaham-Vengerov caliber, whose musical instincts could make even a mere bagatelle thrill the soul and stir the senses to a frenzy.” 

https://www.antheakreston.com

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Clark College Concert Choir Winter Performance, with a WORLD PREMIERE

VANCOUVER, WA —  The Clark College Concert Choir and Chamber Choir under the direction of Dr. Jacob Funk, present their Winter Concert on Saturday, March 16, 2024, 7:30 pm at First United Methodist Church, 401 E 33rd St, Vancouver, WA.  The admission is free and open to the public. Donations to the Clark College Choral Fund accepted at the door. 

What makes this program especially meaning is the programing of a world premiere performance of a work composed by Clark music student Benjamin Friend. The Concert Choir will perform Friend’s “One Last Time,” a work for choral ensemble and string quartet. This is a deeply moving work and we are eager for our community to hear it. Programmed alongside it are well known works like Dawson’s “Soon Ah Will Be Done,” and Runestad’s “The Peace of Wild Things.” The not oft performed “After Music” by Barnum and Hagen’s “On My Dreams” are also on the program, as well “Temporal” by Puerto Rican composers Diana V. Sáez and Suzzette Ortiz.

The Chamber Choir will begin the program with two songs concerning existential anxiety and closing with a one-on-a-part gorgeous piece about eternity. You do not want to miss this concert.

 For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

Dr. Jacob Funk is the Director of Choirs at Clark College where he conducts three choirs in addition to teaching theory, ear training, music appreciation, rock history, and applied voice. Jacob completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Missouri—Kansas City where he was a Graduate Assistant to the Choral Department, Associate Conductor of the Conservatory Concert Choir and co-conductor of the University Singers. While at UMKC he also served as Opera Chorus Master and the director of Canticum Novum. Dr. Funk earned his masters in choral conducting from the University of British Columbia, and his undergraduate degree in vocal performance from John Brown University. Before coming to UMKC he was on the music faculty of John Brown University and Northwest Arkansas Community College, where he taught choir and voice. 

Dr. Jeongmi Yoon, currently, serves as the piano instructor and accompanist at Clark College. She has performed in numerous cities within the United States, China, and South Korea. As a soloist, she has performed with the Poland Katowice Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chonnam National University  Orchestra. In 2021, Dr.  Yoon received her D.M.A. in Piano Performance from the University of North Texas studying under Joseph Banowetz. Additionally, she holds a Masters’ degree from Portland State University and Bachelor’s degree from Chonnam National University. Dr. Yoon the faculties at the University of Portland and Clark College in January 2022. 

Clark College
Dr. Jacob Funk, Director of Choirs
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60th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival Results Announced

VANCOUVER, WA — After three full days of the return of the Annual Clark College Jazz Festival, the outstanding musician awards and the evening finals results for the 60th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival have been announced. For 2024, the Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes trophy was awarded to Bothell High School Jazz 1, Bothell, WA

Thursday, January 25, 2024 Middle School Silver division jazz ensemble finals results:

1st place – Beaumont Middle School, Portland, OR

2nd place – Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

3rd place – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

A Division:     

1st place – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

2nd place – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

3rd place – Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Outstanding Middle School Jazz Musician certificates were presented to:

Cody Halley – Laurin Middle School, Battleground, WA

London Coy – Laurin Middle School, Battleground, WA

Tyson Ruark – Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, WA

Henry Ormson – Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, WA

Oliver Armstrong – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, WA

Elliot Foster – Skyridge Middle School, Camas, WA

Daniel Liu – Skyridge Middle School, Camas, WA

Jacob Weinstock – Skyridge Middle School, Camas, WA

Dylan Her – Aspire Middle School, Lacey, WA

Nate Richardson – Aspire Middle School, Lacey, WA

Emily Chen – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Ellie Bailey – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Margo Cox – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Oren Sternberg – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA

Rowan Armintrout – Liberty Middle School, Camas, WA

Charlotte Summers – Liberty Middle School Camas, WA

Katie Evert – Liberty Middle School, Camas, WA

Gavin DeMoss – Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Eli Lennick – Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Marilyn Ruthruff – Beaumont Middle School – Portland, OR

Iris Ruthruff – Beaumont Middle School – Portland, OR

Nate Lyon – Beaumont Middle School – Portland, OR

Lhamo Doryang – South Whidbey Middle School, Langley, WA

Judah Macarro – South Whidbey Middle School, Langley, WA

Dante Churchill – South Whidbey Middle School, Langley, WA

Lizzy Bloom – View Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield, WA

Danica Jahr – VSAA, Vancouver, WA

Zach Pan – VSAA, Vancouver, WA

Ben Mittge – Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis, WA

Maxton Hill – Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis, WA

Outstanding high school musician awards for the A Division were presented to:

Olin Nelson – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Corbyn Orchard – South Whidbey High School, Langley, WA

Lincoln Toland – Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Jackson Pierce – Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Basil Middlemas – Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, WA

Joseph DiPrima – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Parker Zaemann – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Kyler Dixon – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Stephen Samwel – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, WA

Danny McCarthy – Concordia Christian Academy, Tacoma, WA

Jason Nguyen– Concordia Christian Academy, Tacoma, WA

Anna Zendt – Columbia High School, White Salmon, WA

August Peterson – Columbia High School, White Salmon, WA

Jeremy Solis – Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, WA

Graham Rank – Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, WA

Kristin Dunlap – La Center High School, La Center, WA

Dominic Stub – La Center High School, La Center, WA

Aleks Chygasov – La Center High School, La Center, WA

Jordan Stout – Adna Middle/High School, Adna, WA

Myra Medina – Adna Middle/High School, Adna, WA

Stacti Dore – Woodland Middle/High School, Woodland, WA

Emma McCaullough – Woodland Middle/High School, Woodland, WA

Sam Purcell – Woodland Middle/High School, Woodland, WA

Harland Wakefield – Woodland Middle/High School, Woodland, WA

Friday, January 26, 2024 AA division high school jazz ensemble finals results:

AA Division:  

1st place – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

2nd place (tie) – Richland High School Freshman, Richland, WA

2nd place (tie) – Lakewood High School, Lakewood, WA

Outstanding middle school and high school musician awards for the AA Division were presented to:

Michael Grove – Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, WA

Naomi Halbrook – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Cynthia Reyes-Mendoza – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Jocelyn Cole – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Preston White – Columbia River High School, Vancouver, WA

Amanda Linwood – W.F. West High School, Chehalis, WA

Parker Morrison – W.F. West High School, Chehalis, WA

Zandy Owens – Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle, WA

Henry Van Mason – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Victor Zinchuk – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Leo Sandoval – Lakewood High School, North Lakewood, WA

Isaias Fuentes-Palominos – Lakewood High School, North Lakewood, WA

Hayden McCarty – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Chloe Kalson – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Thilo Kluth – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Jack Smith – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Levi Brown – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Adam Haunreiter – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Blake Bruning – Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, WA

Saturday, January 27, 2024 AAA and AAAA division high school jazz ensemble finals results:

AAA Division:           

1st place – Heritage High School Jazz I, Vancouver, WA

2nd place – Bothell High School Jazz II, Bothell, WA

3rd place – Battle Ground High School Intermediate Jazz I, Battle Ground, WA

AAAA Division:        

1st Place – Bothell High School Jazz I, Seattle, WA

 2nd Place – Lake Stevens High School Jazz I, Lake Stevens, WA

3rd Place – Grant High School Jazz I, Portland, OR

Outstanding high school musician awards for the AAA Division were presented to:

Cooper Givens – Union High School, Camas, WA

Kieran Iyer – Union High School, Camas, WA

Liam Purcell – Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA

Cadence Sempk – Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA

Nathan Lauruhn – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Cannon West – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Tyler Hornell – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Heidi Anderson – Kamiak High School, Mukilteo, WA

Ryan Jackson – Kamiak High School, Mukilteo, WA

Allison Llubit – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Mark Rodeheaver – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Christian Oversvee-Choi – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Nathan Bardsley – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Sachita Kadievelu – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Aliah Bragg – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Logan Gillespie – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Janae Clark – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Gavin Williamson – Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA

Sam Arslanian – VSAA, Vancouver, WA

McKelvey Brewer – VSAA, Vancouver, WA

Kyle Davenport – Prairie High School – Battle Ground, WA

Judah Bollock – Prairie High School – Battle Ground, WA

Maggie Roth – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Felix Lewis – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Outstanding high school musician awards for the AAAA Division were presented to:

James Brady – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Henry Rice – Richland High School, Richland, WA

Gavin Bunbury – Edmonds-Woodway High School, Edmonds, WA

Addisyn Johnson – Edmonds-Woodway High School, Edmonds, WA

Henry Goss – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Nathan Doyle – Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA

Kono Tiyaamornwong – Buchanan High School, Clovis, CA

Will Damrose – Buchanan High School, Clovis, CA

Trevor Nix – Buchanan High School, Clovis, CA

Alejandro Santana – Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA

Sean Malcom – Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA

Ethan Park – Kamiak High School, Mukilteo, WA

Ian Park – Kamiak High School, Mukilteo, WA

Izzy Cryan – Union High School, Camas, WA

Evelyn Lo – Union High School, Camas, WA

Andie Townsend – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Carter Stafford – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA

Phineas Ruji – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Jack Santos – Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, WA

Sasha Burns – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Xander Buck – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Oli Rangle – Grant High School, Portland, OR

Dylan Reed – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Thomas Holmes – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Aaron Mamula – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Nicholas Ang – Bothell High School, Bothell, WA

Congratulations to all the fine bands who participated!  

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Local Band Creates Ultimate Expression of Love For Holidays in Lockdown

Folk duo Fox and Bones offers custom songwriting services for the perfect contact-free gift

Camas, WA — With lockdowns and quarantines affecting many long-standing holiday traditions this year, local band Fox and Bones has come up with the perfect contact-less gift that allows people to express their love from a distance. The duo, who previously made their living touring internationally but moved home to Camas when the first wave of lockdowns hit, put their minds together to create “Our Custom Song”, a boutique personalized songwriting service where they are commissioned to write what they call “the ultimate expression of love” —  a highly personalized, radio quality song.

Though Fox and Bones, aka Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore, launched this new service in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns, the idea for Our Custom Song initially came to the real life couple three Christmases ago, when Gilmore wrote Vitort a song and gave it to her as a Christmas present. 

“To this day it’s the best gift I’ve ever received, truly a gift that keeps on giving. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being someone’s muse,” said Vitort. 

Vitort realized that equipped with 20+ combined years of songwriting experience that feeling was one they could offer to others and became more valuable than ever when COVID changed everyone’s lives.

The custom songwriting process begins with an hour-long ZOOM consultation, where Vitort and Gilmore ask thought provoking questions in order to step into their customers’ shoes before writing the song. In addition to the initial consultation, customers get two rounds of edits between the first and final drafts to ensure the song is exactly what they want. Customers also get to choose the genre, feel and instrumentation of the song, and are offered add-ons like their own photo slideshow music video, an engraved lyric plaque, or a CD of the song.

“It didn’t feel somebody created this song just because it was purchased, it felt like you guys really could understand how we felt, and took all the stories and things that we talked about and made them come to life,” said Shelby Cinnamon, who, with her siblings, commissioned a song for her mom for Mother’s Day. 

BAND
www.champpizza.com

Her sister Carley, a Camas resident, added, “I wish I had the words to convey to people how special and how meaningful the entire process was. It’s such a priceless song that we will treasure forever.”

In addition to custom songs, Our Custom Song also offers a more budget-friendly option in the form of “Song-Grams,” where clients can choose any song for the duo to cover with a special dedication to the recipient, a nostalgic cross between a singing telegram and a radio song dedication. 

Our Custom Song was created by Vitort and Gilmore as a way for people to commission personalized songs for the people they love most. Vitort and Gilmore use their 20 years of combined songwriting and music industry experience and their deep ability to empathize to create heartfelt, radio quality songs for their customers. The pair has been lauded for their songwriting in outlets such as Parade Magazine, No Depression, and Pop Matters since they formed in 2016.

Interested parties are encouraged to learn more and book their song at www.ourcustomsong.com

 

Band
Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore of Fox and Bones.
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Columbia River Gorge Elementary Music Sessions An Online Success

Columbia River Gorge Elementary Music teacher, Amy Switzer, stands alone in her classroom in front of her computer screen filled with tiles of smiling first grade students.  She leads them in the Good Morning song complete with hand clapping and stomping.  When asked for suggestions on other movements they can do, student hands fly into the air.  Gideon is called on, unmuted and suggested adding hopping to the song.  Another verse is sung.

“It’s great to see the students once a week in live zoom lessons,” said Switzer. “I really miss them!” 

Since traditional elementary music class is such a participatory, whole-group experience, Switzer said it was a challenge to figure out how to accomplish music goals remotely. 

“Kindy, 1st and 2nd Grades traditionally spend time exploring music through singing, listening and moving,” she said.  “I have found it is possible for me to continue much of that in Zoom Music Class.”  

In addition to Zoom Classroom, the SeeSaw educational app is an effective tool allowing students to create videos and other multimedia items.

“Our first SeeSaw lesson was a musical scavenger hunt to find things they could shake, hit or scrape and collect in a box to use in music class,” Switzer said. “Then ‘Ta da!’  They now have their own instruments to practice playing steady beats and rhythm in Zoom Music Class.” 

Switzer’s music lessons have become more project based with upper grade level students.  For example, her 3rd, 4th and 5th grades have started a project called the “World Music Tour.”  Their Google Classroom assignment is to interview an adult in their family or adult of their choice to see what continents and countries their ancestors came from and do they know any songs that have been passed down in their family. “Once the information is collected, we will ‘visit’ those places through music,” Switzer explained.  “It has been so much fun getting to know my students through this project!”

In fact, knowing students better has been one of the surprising benefits that Switzer has seen. 

“It is nice to connect with each and every student who participates in Seesaw and Google classroom,” she said. “I get the chance to see and read their work in depth.  I really enjoy seeing and reading each and every one of their assignments and can respond to them with thoughtful feedback. Some students also find they are braver when communicating with teachers through Google Classroom.”  

Music
Columbia River Gorge Elementary Music teacher, Amy Switzer, stands alone in her classroom in front of her computer screen filled with tiles of smiling first grade students.

Switzer’s students are reacting positively to the idea of remote learning music classes.

“They are so grateful to have live special subject classes again,” she said. “For some students, special subjects can be the reason they get up and go to school.”

But still, it has been tough for her to not be able to see her students in person. 

“It’s also hard not being able to have kids up and moving around interacting together playing singing games, recorders, band instruments, choir, ukuleles, and Orff instruments and experiencing the language of music,” she said.  

Teaching music remotely presents many challenges, but Switzer said she is fortunate to have the support of the WSD elementary music team. 

“Becky, Anna, Frank and I are a strong team,” she said. “We each have our strengths and collectively we help each other figure this out.  We spend each week brainstorming and sharing ideas. We communicate through email daily and try out new approaches on each other before trying with students.  They have been my rock through this whole experience.”  

Music
www.champpizza.com

When asked if music class can play a role in helping students cope with the situation around remote learning, Switzer said she believes music gives students connections to the world they live in and to each other. 

“It takes them to creative places in their brain that other activities cannot,” she said. “Music is a powerful antidote that can relieve anxiety and get our minds back in an even rhythm to cope with whatever life throws at us.  Kids too.” 

A student gave Switzer a plaque that read: Music is life, that’s why our hearts have beats. “You don’t have to understand that to experience it,” she explained.  “Our work is called ‘play’ for a reason.  It’s important to visit that part of who we are, especially for growing and developing minds.”

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Clark College Orchestra Performs 30th Anniversary Season of Dr. Donald Appert

The award winning Clark College Orchestra will present its Fall concert as part of the 2019-20 season celebrating the 30th anniversary of Music Director/Conductor Donald Appert on Wednesday, December 4 at Skyview High School in Vancouver, WA. 

This all-orchestral extravaganza will include La Valse by Maurice Ravel, Nuages and Fêtes from Claude Debussy’s Nocturnes and Josef Suk’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor. The performance is at 7:30 pm and admission is free and open to the public. Donations to the Orchestra General Fund will be accepted at the door.

For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

Donald Appert has appeared as a guest conductor in Japan, Australia, Central America, and throughout Europe.  In Italy La’ovadese wrote, “…the performance of the ‘Serenade in C Major’ of Tchaikovsky, under the exceptional direction of Appert, was in such a style that it brought out the elegance and grace of the melodic lines with Mozartian inspiration.  …The L’Orchestra Sinfonica Città di Grosseto… performed the Barber ‘Adagio’ with rare effectiveness, emphasizing its intrinsically rich melody.”  Giornale di Sicilla praised his interpretation of Nielsen’s First Symphony as “lyrical with an airy freshness,” and his conducting as “precise, painstakingly accurate, and diligent.”  In the United States, he has appeared as a guest conductor of the Vancouver (Washington) Symphony, the University of Texas – Arlington Symphony Orchestra, the Eastern Washington University Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Central Arkansas Symphony.

As one of only five musicians chosen, Dr. Appert received the 2015 Honored Artists of The American Prize, the Honored Artists being “…individuals who have proven themselves to be musicians of “sustained excellence” over a number of seasons as contestants in the competitions.”  Adding to this distinctive honor is his 2011 The American Prize in Orchestral Programming – Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award for his work with the Oregon Sinfonietta.  

Orchestra
www.MeuPilates.com

Dr. Appert was awarded the 2015 ASCAPLUS Award in recognition of his performances in Italy and the United States.  His awards in previous years were for performances in Romania, Qatar, Europe, Central America, Japan, and the United States.  Dr. Appert is the recipient of the 2014 Clark County Arts Commission Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award, and in 2009, he received the Washington Community College Humanities Association Exemplary Status Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Humanities. 

As a member of ASCAP, most of Dr. Appert’s compositions have been published and his works have been performed throughout the world.  A recent work, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, commissioned by, and for, Jeffrey Butler of the Houston Symphony, had its world première to great applause on June 17, 2018, with Mr. Butler as soloist and the Clark College Orchestra accompanying him.       

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