“Whatever language people speak, they understand you when you play music.” – Moose Kinsey, Middle School Strings

“I like the release of playing music. You don’t have to think about anything else.” – Elijah Giampietro, Middle School Band

These quotes by “Music Student of the Month” honorees capture the wonder of learning music, a gift that the Orcas community has steadfastly given to its student musicians. It is a gift that lasts a lifetime, judging from participation in the island’s largest musical groups, Orcas Choral Society, Orcas Island Community Band and Island Sinfonia. On Sunday, March 3, these beloved groups, together with Orcas’ award-winning student musicians, will put on what has become an annual spring tradition of a benefit concert for school music, held on the first Sunday of March every year for over two decades.

The “100 Musicians! 1 Great Cause!” 22nd Anniversary Benefit Concert for School Music is the main fundraising event of the Music Advocacy Group for sustaining a quality music program within our public schools. Besides over 100 musicians, many individuals work behind the scenes with MAG, to get the sound, lights, stages, seating and post-concert reception ready for an audience of over 300 people. This year’s concert will be held in the High School Gym while the Old Gym is remodeled as part of the 2017 School Bond construction.

Construction is also underway on a music room building next to the current band room, thus completing the school’s Music Wing, behind the Old Gym. The community’s unwavering support has been invaluable in helping to realize this long held dream of a proper room for elementary music classes and strings groups.

This is an exciting time for school music. MAG is anticipating a wide range of equipment needs, in addition to its advocacy work and financial support of at least half the school’s budget for K-12 music education.

MAG’s contributions help fund general needs like music scores, instruments, equipment and music practice software. And, by helping with fees and transport, MAG encourages OISD music students to participate in regional and even national music competitions, festivals and experiences that connect them with the wider world of music, inspiring greater excellence. In a recent January excursion, a dozen high school band members attended Seattle Opera’s final-night performance of Il Trovatore.

“Playing music is itself a privilege, but being given the chance to experience it as it is meant to be performed in a modern day opera hall allows for an otherwise impossible appreciation for the passion and meaning behind the notes of sheet music,” enthused Luke Pietsch, the high school senior who first expressed interest in the opera.

The High School Band had performed an excerpt from this Verdi masterpiece at its Winter Holiday Concert in December. The trip was jointly-funded by MAG and Orcas Island Education Foundation. “It was perhaps the most enjoyable as well as educational field trip I have gone on in my 13 years of going to school.”

In January, too, Middle School and High School music students participated in Solo/Ensemble Contests held by the San Juan Music Educators’ Association in Bellingham. Coming up in March, third to fifth grade students will also have a highly anticipated trip that is a highlight of the elementary music program. About a hundred students will be going to sing and play recorders with Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall.

Jim Bredouw, acting director of Orcas Center and a veteran of Orcas’ arts scene, will be on hand to get this celebration of school music going. The opening piece is a specially commissioned arrangement of Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land Is My Land’ for MAG’s 20th anniversary concert, for all gathered to sing and perform together.

This year’s finale, when everyone is invited to join the band, sinfonia and choral society in a rendition of “God Bless America,” will be guest conducted by Catherine Pederson, a founding member of MAG and school music advocate.

Cash and credit card donations will be accepted at the door, online at OIMAG.org or via check at P.O. Box 1171, Eastsound, WA 98245. MAG is a 501(c)(3) organization.