OMEA All-State Middle School Orchestra

First Baptist Church

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022

6:00 PM

Conductor: Doug Spata

Ensemble Managers: Eddy Robinson and Mac Mayer

Gauntlet Doug Spata

Through the Dark Domain Doug Spata

Lullaby William Hofeldt

Xerxes G F Handel, arr by Ken Selde

Doug Spata, Conductor

Doug Spata was born in St. Louis, Missouri but spent a period of his childhood in Kandy, Sri Lanka - an experience that left him with a lifelong curiosity and appreciation for world cultures, music and art His interest in music composition began at an early age and led him to study music theory, history and orchestration Mr Spata is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music with a degree in Music Education Though he is a clarinetist by training, his years of experience as an orchestra teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Cincinnati have led him to compose primarily for strings

Mr. Spata’s first published work, Gauntlet, has gone on to become one of the staples of the string repertoire and several of his subsequent publications have earned the J W Pepper Editor’s Choice award and have been short-listed as part of their “Basic Library ” Mr Spata’s music can now be found on nearly every state’s approved contest lists . His unique musical style and attention to pedagogical needs has made his works favorites among teachers, students and audiences and his music has been performed around the U S and the world Besides his music for student musicians, Mr Spata has composed an opera, ballet scores, symphonies and many other orchestral and chamber works for ensembles of all sizes He currently lives in Ohio

Eddy Robinson, Orchestra Co-Manager

Eddy Robinson began playing the bass when he was nine years old, and between the ages of eleven and eighteen, he participated in the Salem Youth Symphony A graduate of Sprague High School in Salem, Eddy earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Oregon in 2004

Mr Robinson started the orchestra program in the Florence Unified School District in Florence, Arizona in 2005, where he taught for seven years. Eddy was the 2012 co-chair of the Southern Arizona Honor Orchestra Mr Robinson currently teaches orchestra at both Sky View Middle School and Mountain View High School in Bend, Oregon, as well as co-conducts the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra

Mac Mayer, Orchestra Co-Manager

Mac Mayer is Orchestra Director at Whiteaker Middle School and feeder elementary schools in Keizer, Oregon He holds undergraduate degrees in Music Performance (Double Bass- Jazz Studies) and Music Education from The Ohio State University and a aster of Music Education from the University of Kansas Prior to teaching in the Salem-Keizer School District Mr. Mayer taught orchestra in Olathe, Kansas, Marietta, Georgia, and Pickerington, Ohio .

Mr Mayer has served as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician in Oregon and Kansas, including twice as a conductor for String Fling at Kansas State University, and for the Western Kansas Orchestra Festival Mr Mayer is married to Brigid Mayer, Orchestra Director at Clackamas High School and Adrienne C Nelson High School in Clackamas, Oregon His son Eben plays cello and baseball, his other son Noah plays violin and goalball (a popular Paralympic sport), and youngest daughter Helen shows a variety of musical abilities at a young age! Mr Mayer is honored to serve students and teachers in Oregon as Co-Chair of the Middle School All-State Orchestra