Students expand musical horizons on band tour

The Sisters High School Band and Jazz choir embarked on their fourth annual road trip last weekend.

The students performed at Lewis and Clark College, saw Seattle from the Space Needle, took in a Doc Severinsen concert and -- last, but not least -- explored Seattle’s Experience Music Project .

Even with such a packed schedule, students and faculty missed only one day of school.

"The Experience Music Project was amazing," said SHS Band Director, Jody Henderson. "We got so intensely into it, that we were all exhausted after four hours there.

"I wish all educators could experience the Music Project," continued Henderson. "It was the most amazing use of technology I've ever seen. The visual aspects of the place were breath-taking -- the art and the architecture. Every type of music was explored, along with the cultural and social impact that music had."

While the students appreciated the technology, they were thrilled by the opportunity to actually play several different instruments -- and "jam" with their favorite bands.

Listening to selected songs over their headsets, students were able to play their instrument of choice along with the band.

"I got to play guitar along with Nirvana, and play drums with Bob Marley," said Jake Merrill. "It was cool."

The students got a taste of music they might not have sought out on their own.

"I think the biggest surprise for me was how much the students enjoyed the Doc Severinson concert," said Henderson. "I wasn't sure they'd get into it, but every kid was on the edge of his seat. Severinson's band was composed of the very best musicians, and they did a lot of songs with fresh, new arrangements."

Not only did the students get to hear other bands play at Lewis and Clark College, they gave what they unanimously agreed was their best performance ever.

"The kids were 100 percent into everything the whole trip," said Henderson. "They were at their best during the performance."

Sisters is a musically rich environment, but it’s still somewhat isolated from the pulse of the music world. The road trip is designed to remedy that.

"The purpose of these trips," explained Henderson, "is to give the students a chance to experience what's happening in music in metropolitan areas. It gives them a basis of comparison to what we are doing here in Sisters -- and they usually come away thinking, 'Hey, we're on the right track.'"

Next year, Henderson hopes to take the band and jazz choir students on a trip to southern California over spring break.