...oh yeah, I forgot to mention on here sooner: I had many students that made it to State for Solo & Ensemble! The Penn Cove Brass won the "Large Brass Ensemble" category, and a quartet from the Penn Cove Brass won the "Small Brass Ensemble" category! Plus, my student Paige won the "Trumpet Solo" category (and my students Isadora and Hannah won 1st and 2nd Alternate, respectively), my student Keilani won the "Horn Solo" category (with my student Ethan winning the 1st alternate and a former student named Liam winning 2nd alternate), and my student Lola won the "Trombone Solo" category (with my student Josiah winning 2nd alternate). About 20-25 kids from Oak Harbor High School participated at Solo & Ensemble, and only my students were the ones what won or got alternate positions. Is that wild?! There was another Oak Harbor student who was signed up to perform but got COVID and couldn't perform...she wasn't one of my students but was sounding very good on her trombone solo and, I think, could've made to any of the top 3 spots...I felt bad for her.
So yeah, I've got 10 kids who are State-bound in April! I love State Solo & Ensemble here in Washington state...it's always held at Central Washington University, so I get to visit my old stomping grounds once again and run into some of my old acquaintances. And it's just a very exciting event. I'm especially excited because this year I feel like my students have a real competitive chance. It's gonna be a lot of fun working them up to this thing.
In the meantime, though, I've been busy getting students ready for the Washington State All-State honor program that happens on Feb. 20th in Yakima. I've got 10 students going this time, plus that one trombone student mentioned above that's not one of mine. All the Oak Harbor kids of mine (Isadora, Paige, Hannah, Cooper, Lola, Skooter, Josiah) are in the Concert Band; My students from Coupeville and South Whidbey (Eddy and Leah) are in the Wind Symphony; my student Daniel from South Kitsap High School is in the Wind Ensemble. And I'll be there to hear them all perform on the same concert!
Isn't this all great, though? What an awesome and amazing core student group that I have right now. Almost all these guys have been working with me since they were in middle school, and now they're tearing it up in competitions and auditions! My student, Leah, from South Whidbey is even part of the Seattle Youth Symphony program! And Daniel down in Port Orchard is also principal trumpet of his Youth Symphony down there! I'm so proud of all these guys and so lucky to be their teacher.
It's sort of like a dream come true. Remember back in 2015 when I set up shop here in Oak Harbor as a lesson teacher? I had hoped and dreamed to make Whidbey Island a like a "hub" for great young brass players--a place that cranks out these great brass players out into the world to make a name for this area. I feel like it's starting to happen.
Man, I've never felt so confident in myself as I am now. This has been going well. What a year!
Take care and value music.