— from Catherine Pederson, President, Music Advocacy Group —
Last Sunday supporters of our Orcas School Music Program filled the school’s Old Gym for the 20th Anniversary School Benefit Concert presented by our community’s Music Advocacy Group.
Our community is rich in its support of the arts. This concert is both a means of raising funds, a celebration of school music and a heart-felt “Thank You” to all of you who so generously support the school music program.
Over 50 middle and high school students performed, on Sunday in the Old Gym. Included were Orcas School’s middle and high school award winning groups , Strings Ensembles directed by Pamela Wright and Band Ensembles directed by Darren Dix.
Also on the program were the Community Band co-directed by Karen Speck and Jim Shaffer-Bauck, the Orcas Choral Society directed by Marianne Lewis and the Island Sinfonia co-directed by Ned Griffin and Jim Shaffer -Bauck. All three groups have played in all 20 annual School Benefit concerts.
In recent years your financial contributions, through MAG, have helped provide instruments including: a high quality Xylophone, percussion instruments for the Pep Band, student size cellos and violins and professional enrichment opportunities for teachers . Also of critical importance to the program is help with bus transportation costs, enabling student groups to participate in regional honor bands and orchestras, festivals and competitions in which they consistently earn top awards.
These opportunities are available to our students because of the interest and generosity of all of you in the community who know that music enhances learning and brings enrichment for a lifetime.
The Music Advocacy Group is happy to announce that this year’s Concert donations total a little over $8,000 so far – and there is still time to reach our $10,000 20th Anniversary goal.
If you missed the concert, you can still contribute to support of the school music program.
Your donation can be mailed to: MAG (checks made out to MAG) PO Box 1171 Eastsound , WA 98245, or through our website: oimag.org.
With our thanks again for your encouragement and generous support of the School Music Program.
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Thank you Catherine Pederson for your excellent report on the Music Advocacy Group [MAG]. The concert on March 5th was a superior music celebration. We strongly endorse the recommendation of Catherine to donate money that will be used to support the musical programs of Strings Ensembles, Orcas School music groups, the Coral Society, Orcas Community Band and Island Sinfonia. If you attended this event please consider sending more money. If you were not able to attend your contributions will be used for important projects. The address on where to send is given above. Thank you for your assistance.