Student musicians prepare for concerts

While Sisters student-athletes have been working on afterschool drills and practices, high school band members have had their own afterschool workouts, rehearsing in percussion ensembles, jazz combos and duets and quartets. To showcase their talents, high school and middle school students will host a Chamber Ensemble Benefit Concert on Thursday, February 21, at 7 p.m. at Sisters High School.

Cost for the concert is $5 for students and $7 for adults.

"It's my favorite time of the year," band director Lia Morgan said as she shared how students this semester have worked in small groups in preparation for this concert and the District Solo and Ensemble Contest at Summit High School on Saturday, March 2.

Winter term is a time when every student has been expected to form a small group such as a duet, quartet or small ensemble. Besides practicing after school, students sometimes practice in small groups during their zero period concert band class, Morgan said.

"I guide them along and meet with them once a week to iron out the kinks," she said. "The groups are student driven. They don't have a conductor, and they have to diagnose problems themselves.

"It doesn't matter so much if they make a mistake as it does how they recover. They really grasp that concept when only two or three are playing together. It takes a different thought process when playing in a small group, and it's a great way to tackle performance anxiety," she added. During the concert, Morgan will be in the audience as the students run the program.

Groups featured at the concert will include an alto saxophone trio; flute trio and flute-clarinet duet from the middle school; two percussion ensembles, which include students who are new to percussion; clarinet duet; saxophone quartet and brass quintet from the high school. In addition, the high school jazz band and the two after school jazz combos will perform. "It will be a great representation of what we have been doing this term," Morgan said.

More than 20 of the featured high school and middle school performers will participate in the Solo Ensemble Contest.

High school students participating are: Jackson Morgan, Shawn Horton, Emily Burts, Jayden Pallister, Cammi Benson, Lane Huitt, Peter Lund and Ben Hill (8th grade percussion ensemble 1); Morgan, Horton, Burts, Benson and Lund (percussion ensemble 2); Cody Martin and Morgan (clarinet duet); Hannah Stuwe and Laurel Earhart (flute-clarinet duet); and Stuwe, Earhart, Sarah Dumolt and Jessica Shepardson (saxophone quartet).

Peter Lund will also play as a trombone soloist at the contest.

After each student performance, a judge or judges will give tips on musicality, intonation and technique.

When not performing, the musicians will watch and listen to other groups and soloists.

"In my opinion there's no better way to improve on your instrument and have fun at the same time," Morgan said of performing in and listening to the chamber ensembles. She added that the students then perform better in the bigger band setting. Morgan said a school bus will take the kids to the contest and she's hoping band students not participating will come to watch since they will learn as well. She hopes these students choose to play next year.

Fifteen high school band members already had the chance to play in a student-led group when they attended the Oregon Jazz Festival in January, hosted by the University of Oregon and Lane Community College. Competing were the two jazz combos, prepared by Morgan's husband, Brian Morgan, as well as the full jazz band.

The students in each combo chose their songs and soloists and determined the order of their program. Both teachers were able to watch as audience members, Lia Morgan said. "A combo is a great way to build leadership, and it extends to other areas in school and what they do," she said.

Each combo was given 20 minutes of playing time followed by 45 minutes of instruction and discussion of their performance. The next festival for the jazz groups will be at Mt. Hood Community College in May. The high school concert and jazz bands and choirs will perform their end-of-the-term concert Tuesday, March 5 and the middle school bands and choirs will perform Wednesday, March 6.

Advance tickets for the February 21 concert will be available from a band student or by contacting Lia Morgan at [email protected] or phone 541-549-4045 ext. 1025.