Central Coast Section Update

Sam Oh

Central Coast Section President

Around this time of year, we are busy getting ready for our YES! Showcase, Instrumental, Chorale and Solo/Ensemble Festival. So far, we only had the YES! Showcase festival. I could not attend in person because I was in the hospital for the birth of my first baby daughter, but I was told it was a huge success and all the elementary and middle school students had a lot of fun this year. As for the other festivals, due to the crazy storms and Mother Nature destruction in Monterey county, San Benito and Santa Cruz county, we have to cancel our original dates. We are in the process of changing the dates to a different weekend.

Our honor events went very well and it was great to see a live audience to watch the performances. The atmosphere and the experience cannot be replicated through a virtual performance. Just hearing applause and cheers was awesome for the students to be acknowledged for their hard work and dedication.

After the high school band and orchestra honor event, the orchestra guest conductor and I began discussing the lack of string programs within our section. The orchestra conductor also leads and conducts Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL), which is an afterschool El Sistema program. Their purpose is to serve the underserved community by offering free music programs and lessons. We discussed how there is a real need for my string players and talked about how his program can help jump-start string programs into the schools.

With the grant from the state and Prop 28, we hope we can start pushing schools and districts to open the doors to allow string programs to flourish in good faith to help build a stronger community between all the programs and help grow the string program. This summer, YOSAL will host their 2nd year of California Orchestra Academy on July 5-15. Last year, they had around 60 students from around the world to participate and their goal this year is to have more Central Coast students to participate. Students from underserved communities, or El Sistema or El Sistema-like programs, get a full ride, including room and board.

North Coast Section Update

Collin Kirkwood

North

Coast Section President

Hello from North Coast!

Our section had a strong representation at this year’s CASMEC, which was impressive because it is a journey to get to Fresno from the North Coast. We also were very excited that Cassandra Moulton-Rizzo received the Educator of the Year from our Chapter. Cassie is a very hardworking teacher and while any of our members could have easily received this award, it was nice to recognize Cassie.

We have all been working hard to get festivals up and running. Our largest festival, the All County Music Festival, took place March 17th & 18th. So many of our teachers participate in this event. A few local teachers (Jared Coyle, Holly MacDonell, and Lisa Jouaneh) directed the three junior groups (band, strings, and choir); Dr. Elisabeth Harrington from Cal Poly Humboldt directed the Senior Choir; Les Nunes conducted the Jazz Ensemble; Dr. Christine Lundahl conducted the Senior Band; and Tiffany OuPonticelli conducted the Senior Orchestra. Thanks to the support of the Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE), we are able to invite such accomplished, out-of-county music directors to lead and inspire our North Coast students.

Local teachers also help coordinate the groups, move equipment, lead sectionals, even perform in the event of a missing bass trombone or baritone. This event is an awesome experience for our students as this is the only honor ensemble many of them will get to be a part of.

One of the brightest moments of this year’s festival was the opportunity for all seven groups to perform in Eureka’s Arkley Center for the Performing Arts. We appreciate the cooperation and continued support of the Humboldt County Office of Education each year we have this event, and specifically Michael DaviesHughes, Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools, who was instrumental in getting this year’s groups out of a high school gym and into a professional performing venue.

Another bright spot of the festival was the return of the Junior performing groups, who last performed in 2019.

With a wrap on this year’s All County Music Festival, we look ahead to our Instrumental, Choral, Jazz, and Pan festivals later this Spring!