Orchestrating Lifelong Participation in the Arts 1629 22nd Ave SE, Olympia WA 98501 | 360-352-1438 | studentorchestras.org studentorchestras@gmail.com | facebook.com/studentorchestras | Winter 2020 Vol. XX No. 2
SOGO’s Birthday Bash Continues!
SOGO’s 20th Season Birthday Bash continues with the Conservatory Orchestra turning to music from 20th-century America. Music Director Cameron May says the March 1 concert “pairs the familiar with the overlooked.”
By Supporting Teaching Artists, You Are Providing the “Backbone” of SOGO “The Teaching Artists are really the backbone of our operation and, in my mind, what makes SOGO so special,” says Music Director Cameron May.
Teaching Artists are instrument specialists who mentor SOGO musicians by bringing a wealth of experience, skill, and musicianship to full orchestra rehearsals and sectionals. May continues, “Performing together as an orchestra is of course what everyone sees, but having experts on each instrument L-R: SOGO Conservatory Orchestra students Jenny Jang, Helen Hauschka, Gwen Bayer, and Camille McLean
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“Antonin Dvorak’s ninth symphony, From the New World, depicts an outsider’s account of setting foot in the United States for the first time,” says May. Preceding the Dvorak, the Conservatory Orchestra will perform Dances in the Canebrakes, a work composed by African-American female composer Florence Price in 1953. Flute TA Jean Whipple teaching a sectional.
The Familiar: New World Symphony Conservatory students observed Olympia Symphony Orchestra (OSO) rehearsals in November when OSO played Dvorak’s New World Symphony. Now that the Conservatory Orchestra is preparing two movements of the same piece for the March concert, the OSO joined students for a Side-by Side experience January 26, where Olympia Symphony members sat alongside Conservatory students at a rehearsal. “The decision to program a piece that the Olympia Symphony Orchestra was performing earlier in the season was deliberate once the possibility of a Sideby-Side experience became a reality,” says May. “The obvious relevance was for the students to become familiar with the piece before starting to work on it themselves and to make note of the comments OSO conductor Huw Edwards made to the orchestra during these rehearsals.” (Continued on p.2) LEAD • INSPIRE • PERFORM •
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We are grateful for the support of these organizations Community Foundation of South Puget Sound Dawkins Charitable Trust A new biography of African American composer Florence Price, ‘The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price,’ will published June 2020.
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Give Local Irving A. Lassen Foundation Nisqually Tribe LEAD • INSPIRE • PERFORM •
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Birthday Bash, cont’d
Backbone, cont’d
to provide small-group and sometimes even individual instruction to our students speeds up the learning process and allows the students who come to us from a variety of schools to receive more focused attention.”
“Beyond that, though, I also wanted our students - many of whom will go on to play in orchestras their whole lives - to get a glimpse of how a professional orchestra operates. I think everyone enjoyed the process, and it deepened the learning beyond what we are normally able to do.”
The Overlooked: Dances in the Canebrakes
“Our Teaching Artists also have many years of experience playing in orchestras, both locally and further afield, and this reflects in their teaching and is something that conductors alone cannot provide.”
May discovered Dances in the Canebrakes at a concert in Portland last spring called ‘America’s Florence’. May says, “As well as this short piece by Florence Price, the orchestra played her Symphony No. 1 in E minor, which shares many similarities with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9. The prevalence of syncopated rhythms and other jazz influences in both pieces, along with Dvorak’s championing of music by African American composers during his time in America, led me to the decision to pair them together.”
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Make a donation to support SOGO Teaching Artists. $80 will provide one TA for one session. $560 will provide one TA for all rehearsals in a concert cycle.
I wanted our students — many of whom will go on to play in orchestras their whole lives — to get a glimpse of how a professional orchestra operates. It deepened the learning beyond what we are normally able to do. ~ Music Director Cameron May
Join us for birthday cake after the Winter Concert — Sunday, March 1, 4pm at the Washington Center! Tickets are on sale now. Premium seating is limited so get your tickets early. washingtoncenter.org | (360) 753-8586. Also appearing: Brass Choir, Academy Orchestra, Debut Orchestra.
Flute TA Jean Whipple with Academy flutes at the Arts Walk Instrument Petting Zoo. Don’t miss this year’s zoo on Saturday, April 25, 2-4pm at the Washington Center. Free and open to the public.
From Moving Chairs to Chairing Committees
If you’ve attended a SOGO concert in the last decade, you’ve probably seen John Fleckenstein’s welcoming smile as you enter the Washington Center lobby. As a past president of the SOGO Board, Fleckenstein has served as a volunteer, board member, treasurer, president, and now sits on several ad hoc committees. Fleckenstein became involved with SOGO when his own kids were playing in the orchestra. “I thought SOGO was doing some great things for them and my wife Mary and I loved the concerts,” he says. “My first volunteer activity was managing chairs and stands during concerts. While doing that, I got to know staff and board members and thought serving on the board might be fun. It is!” Twelve years later, his pride in SOGO shines through. “We continue to give our musicians a great experience. They leave us as better musicians and better people.” “One small moment I enjoy every year is when the Debut kids walk out on the Washington Center stage for dress rehearsal before their first concert,” says Fleckenstein. “I enjoy the cacophony of the orchestra warming up, the silence that follows, then the glorious sound of their music.” “The corollary is when they realize —maybe well after that concert — that they can fill [the Washington Center], or any other house, with great, moving music.” John Fleckenstein with Lori Drummond, President/CEO of Olympia Federal Savings, in 2015. OlyFed has been a faithful supporter for many years and is a Distinguished Sponsor for the March 1 SOGO concert.
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Looking to the future, Fleckenstein hopes that SOGO will continue to grow. “To do that, we must continue to serve all of our communities —school music programs, local artistic community, parents, and most of all, our musicians.” Are you interested in volunteering with SOGO? Email studentorchestras@gmail.com for more information.
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We continue to give our musicians a great experience. They leave us as better musicians and better people. ~ John Fleckenstein, SOGO Board Past President
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A Teaching Artist’s Perspective By Jean Whipple, SOGO Flute TA I was involved in SOGO when my kids Nels and Marita came through the program. (They are now 30 and 31!) It’s filled a void in the music community for 20 years now. As a TA my role is completely different than the conductor’s. We guide the students through the “tough” spots in sectionals and then help them integrate that knowledge in the full rehearsal. We also get to have a more personal relationship with the students much as a private teacher might, but with the ability to observe how the teaching aspects get carried into the large group experience. With Debut there is a lot of teaching basics... fingerings, counting, intonation. Some of that shows up in Academy also but more musical phrasing and learning to listen to each other in the section as well as across the orchestra. Conservatory allows for a lot more musicality to be expressed. By this time, students usually have the mechanics worked out and we can work on “playing off” the other sections, fine tuning and learning to follow the subtleties of the conductor. Preparing these students to move on to college and adult groups for a lifetime of music is my goal. Jean Whipple holds a BA with majors in Spanish and Music Education from Luther College, where she studied and toured extensively under the direction of Weston Noble. She played with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra for 30 years and is currently playing with the Northwest Wind Symphony and the Olympia Chamber Orchestra. In her “down time” she is a member of the Verksted Artists Co-OP in Poulsbo and participates in art shows and gives classes throughout the country.
Road Trip!! SOGO’s Academy Orchestra performs at Nisqually Middle School, Woodland Elementary School, and Bush Middle School February 28. The Academy Tour is underwritten by the Irving A. Lassen Foundation. “It will be a terrific day of music making, team building, and supporting our local music programs.” ~ Greg Allison, Artistic Director
Start ‘Em Young! Prelude Strings Returns March 9 “For Prelude Strings we invite the youngest string players in our community to learn how to perform with an orchestra,” says SOGO board member Lindsey Ford. Prelude Strings is a non-audition afterschool ensemble led by music educator Rebeca Gage of Nisqually Middle School. Ford is excited about Prelude Strings because “we have designed this as a non-audition, low-cost program so that all may be included.” Enrollment is open to any elementary or middle school string player with one or two years of experience. Rehearsals are 5:30 to 6:30 Monday nights. Tuition is $50 per six-week session, collected at the first class. All classes are held at Nisqually Middle School. Register online today at studentorchestras.org. “We are very excited to bring this successful program to the North Thurston District,” says Ford. Please share this with your favorite young musicians — we hope to see them there!
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Photos: 2019 Academy Tour
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SOGO Winter Concert Sunday, March 1, 4pm at the Washington Center Distinguished Sponsor:
Don't miss the SOGO Instrument Petting Zoo!
March 1
Season Concert
Sunday at 4pm Washington Center Tickets $8-$21* washingtoncenter.org
Olympia Arts Walk Saturday, April 25, 2-4 P.M. Washington Center
360.753.8586 | 6 and under free* *plus $4 Washington Center fee
April 25
Olympia Arts Walk Instrument Petting Zoo Saturday, 2-4pm Washington Center | FREE
May 17
Season Concert
Sunday at 4pm Washington Center Tickets $8-$21* washingtoncenter.org
May 26, 27 & 29
Placement auditions for Season 2020-2021
Free and open to the public
Listen to the "jungle sounds" of string, brass, and woodwind instruments. SOGO musicians help kids of all ages to bow, blow, and buzz the instruments. Those who have attended say: 'That was cool!' 'It vibrates when I play.' 'My lips tickle.' 'I haven't played that in 20 years!' 'Can we go around again?!' The Zoo would not be possible without the support of the Instrument Petting Washington Center, sponsor Small to Zoo Sponsor Tall Pediatric Dentistry, instruments provided by R. L. Ray Violin shop and Music and Arts, and all of the great "zookeepers" from SOGO guiding the participants through their paces on a variety of instruments.
Registration starts April 1 at studentorchestras.org
Beat Beethoven 5thK Run Olympia Capitol Lake
CFD Charity Code: 0456457
Dates subject to change.
B & R Flooring The Back Door Bakery Ballet Northwest Bill Peden, Edward Jones Bischofberger Violins, LTD Blush Day Spa Bryan’s Automotive Coldwell Banker, Evergreen Olympic Realty David T. Stone Violins Encore Chocolate & Teas Evergreen Brass Quintet Hammond Ashley Violins Jocelyn McCabe Public Relations JT Painting Company Kyle D Smith, Edward Jones Listen First Speech Therapy, LLC McDonald Dentistry Music & Arts Music 6000 Northwest Center for Prosthodontics, Dr. Lawton NOVA School O Salazar de Breaux, author Old School Pizzeria Olympia Consulting Olympia Symphony Orchestra Salon Salon South Sound Women’s Center TAGS Awards & Specialties Tanasse Chiropractic Thurston County Title Vantage Physicians
Last year Panowicz Jewelers donated this beautiful pendant necklace for SOGO’s May raffle. Stay tuned to find out what lovely piece of jewelry will be raffled this spring!
Are you a Washington State employee? Sign up with The Washington State Combined Fund Drive’s (CFD) payroll contribution program for a convenient way to give to SOGO. Donations may be made monthly or as one-time contributions.
July 26
Thank You to Our 2019-2020 Advertisers
Panowicz Jewelers
Mystery Raffle!
SOGO Summer Music June 22 – July 2 FREEr Chois! Clas
Get ready to play, compose, swing, and explore musical styles from around the globe at the 2020 SOGO Summer Music. • Who: All classes are for musicians
with one-year playing experience to 9th grade, except Beginning Band, Beginning Orchestra, and Choir – no experience required. • Where/When: Washington M.S. June 22July 2. Class times vary from 9am - 2:30pm. • Fifteen class offerings! Fiddling, Chamber Music, Beginning Band, Intermediate Band, Swap Band, Advanced Band, Beginning Orchestra, Intermediate Orchestra, Jazz Class, Percussion, Bucket Band, Music Theory, Composition, Choir, and World Drumming. • Free Choir class - Students have an option to take a free Choir class when signing-up. • Cost: $75/class, with multiple class discounts available. Choir class is free if student is taking at least one other class; otherwise $50.
Summer Music registration starts April 1 at studentorchestras.org.