Brigid Ehrmantraut, Emy Carter, Paris Wilson, Wylie Kau, Christian Bailey, Michael Harlow, Anthony Kaskurs and Zach Waage represented Orcas Island at the Senior Honor Festival in Blaine.
By Kristen Wilson for the Music Advocacy Group (MAG)
Orcas High School was well-represented by eight members of Pamela Wright’s High School Strings class at this year’s San Juan Music Educators Association “Senior Honor Festival” in Blaine, Washington on November 5. Representing Orcas Island were violinists Christian Bailey, Emy Carter, Michael Harlow and Paris Wilson; violists Brigid Ehrmantraut and Zach Waage; and Cellists Anthony Kaskurs and Wylie Kau.
Sixteen Northwest area high schools sent some of their top musicians, 237 in all, for all-day group rehearsals culminating in evening performances by choir, orchestra and band at the Blaine School’s Performing Arts Center. The eight students from Orcas performed with an orchestra comprised of 53 musicians. The Honor Orchestra conductor was Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs, the Music Director of both the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association, one of the largest youth symphonies in the United States.
“It is a privilege to work with these young students,” said Pamela Wright, “and be able to have them play a part with other schools and represent the San Juan Islands. I am so very proud of all they accomplished and the way they carried themselves through the six hours of practice.”
