The Medical Lake High School music department sent 10 of its musicians and singers on Feb. 14-17 to Portland, Ore. to the National Association for Music Education, Northwest Division All-Northwest Band and Choir event.
Being named to the All-Northwest honor group is no small feat with significant competition. Participants auditioned and are selected from high school-aged students from across the Northwest.
“It’s a huge deal,” MLHS Band Director Craig Johnson said. “You’re talking the best musicians from six states.”
Represented were musicians and singers from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Alaska and Wyoming.
Johnson compared the event to the Medical Lake girls basketball team going to the state playoffs.
The audition process starts with each student practicing and recording the same music for their specific instrument or vocal position — soprano or tenor, for example — which is then sent to a selection committee in a months-long process.
Once selected, students are provided with the material that will be played or sang at the All-Northwest event, according to Johnson.
Musicians work on the music individually until Presidents Day in preparation for working with the collective all star ensemble when they arrive in Portland, where they rehearse with nationally recognized-conductors.
“Top people from across the country,” Johnson said.
Nancy Ditmer, director of bands and professor of music education at the College of Wooster, served as this year’s band conductor.
Junior trumpet player Grace Remendowski said she felt the pressure “from the moment you record your audition,” thinking a note was wrong or some other minor issue would eliminate the chances of being selected.
“And then you get in and you’re like, wow, I did that,” she said.
Remendowski said it was a valuable experience to meet the top musicians from six different states and share advice with them.
Soprano Keziah Flaherty made the All-Northwest choir.
“I really liked singing with a blend of people who are really good,” she said. “It sounded like one voice when we sang.”
“The students audition — a time-consuming process — and compete against hundreds of kids for a spot in the All-State Choir,” Medical Lake Choir Director Heidi Peterson said in an email. “They spend three days rehearsing with the top musicians from across the state led by a master conductor. Their culminating performance is always of the utmost quality.”
There were 300 musicians selected this year, but only about 250 were able to attend due to weather and road conditions, according to Peterson.
“When you get to play with that caliber of musicianship, the students usually leave that weekend inspired, and confident in themselves knowing that they were able to be a part of something so special and unique,” Johnson said, as some of those very musicians practiced in the background in the high school music room.
It doesn’t hurt their chances for a college scholarship either, he said.
The event occurs biannually on odd numbered years, and happens in conjunction with the All State Band and Choir.
Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected]
Reader Comments(0)