Thanks to the generosity of the Orcas Island community, all 60-plus students in the third and fourth grades at Orcas Elementary School now have ukuleles to play and enhance their musical skills.

Last November Music Teacher Pamela Wright needed 35 more ukuleles.  This would ensure that all the students in her combined third and fourth grade music classes would have an instrument to play in class and at home. The Music Advocacy Group offered to help make it happen and the Orcas Island Community Foundation gave them the vehicle (OICF’s online catalog) to let the community know about this need. It was a wonderful joining of island forces. With OICF donations and additional funding from MAG, the ukuleles were purchased.

“Most of my younger students have never played an instrument other than a recorder,” said Pamela Wright, Director of K-4 General Music, 5-6 Choir and 5-12 Strings. “In fact, purchasing an instrument such as a ukulele would be a luxury that many of my students’ families would be hard-pressed to do. So when I placed ukuleles in my students’ hands for the first time, it feels a little like Christmas. You can see it in their faces. Knowing that they are being trusted to take this instrument home and care for it – it’s a feeling of pride and responsibility, an excitement at being able to accompany themselves singing, and they are motivated to practice.”

“By playing ukulele, students enhance ear training and learn about chords,” added Wright, “and they gain experience playing as an ensemble. The skills they gain make them stronger musicians as they go into fifth grade strings, choir or band classes.”

The Orcas Island community will have the opportunity to hear the new young uke players at the Kindergarten through fourth Grade Music Concert on Thursday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Old Gym. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Music Advocacy Group of Orcas Island is dedicated to building a “shining star” school music program, to providing students with a lifelong means of personal expression and music appreciation, and to creating a point of pride for Orcas Island and the school district.  “We firmly believe that SCHOOL MUSIC MATTERS on Orcas Island,” say organizers.

Donations to MAG may be sent to MAG, P.O. Box 1171, Eastsound, WA 98245.