Top Ratings…Again and Again!

— from Kristen Wilson —

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For several years now the Orcas High School Strings, under the direction of teacher Pamela Wright, have brought home top ratings from Northwest Washington music contests. Now, in two back-to-back contests at Western Washington University they have done it again. On Saturday, March 14, the Orcas Strings competed at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) State Orchestra Festival at WWU, and less than a week later they returned for the SJMEA Large Group Festival.

This was the Orcas group’s first appearance at the ASTA statewide festival, and they won First Place in the Chamber Orchestra (Small School) Division. They performed the Allegro and Presto movements of Mozart’s Divertimento in F Major without a conductor in WWU’s Concert Hall.

Following each ensemble’s performance, ASTA adjudicators provide a high-quality educational experience through expert comments and clinics. The judges were full of praise for the Orcas Group. “This ensemble is terrific.” “A really, really high level of playing.” “An extremely polished, musical and stylish performance!” Students performing included Emy Carter, Michael Chesher, Michael Harlow, Anthony Kaskurs, Joanne Mietzner, Emily Toombs, Zach Waage and Paris Wilson. Wylie Kau was unable to make the trip.

“I would like to commend Emy Carter and Zach Waage,” said Pamela Wright. Emy was selected by the 2015 Honor Orchestra of America to perform in that elite ensemble in Indianapolis on the same weekend of the ASTA contest, and Emy decided to honor her commitment to play with the High School Strings, and Zach gave up his spot in a Leadership conference that week-end for the same reason. “That’s the kind of group we have,” said Wright. “They are committed to each other.”

The student group Almost Classical (Emy Carter, Lisa Carter and Paris Wilson) also competed at ASTA and received 2nd place in Eclectic Orchestra (Large School) Division which included schools up to 15 times the size of Orcas.  There were only two entries in the small school eclectic group division and so Almost Classical decided to compete with all schools in the large school division. “I could hear you on a soundtrack,” said one judge. “A solid presentation.” “You play from the heart” and are “totally ready for performance.”

Less than a week later, the Orcas High School Strings headed to Bellingham again for the San Juan Music Educators Association (SJMEA) Large Group Orchestra Festival on March 20. This is the fifth year the Orcas High School Strings have participated in the contest at WWU. And this is the fourth year in a row they brought home “superior” ratings, which are the highest you can receive in a music contest. Moreover, the Orcas group, competing among 15 ensembles, had the second highest overall score, only one point shy of the top score.

Orcas Island was the only Class B school competing among 14 other AA or AAA schools. Plus, Orcas H.S. Strings is open to all students without audition, versus some larger schools who do require auditions and limit participation to the most skilled musicians. “I couldn’t be prouder of our students,” said Wright. The Orcas students received a 1+ rating and came within one point of the score earned by Sehome Chamber Orchestra group, an auditioned group from a school with nearly 10 times the enrollment of Orcas High School. In the spirit of “Wow, they’re good, let’s join ‘em,” Sehome High School has issued an invitation to Orcas to come play with them sometime.

“The SJMEA Large Groups Orchestra Contest is a little different from other contests in that groups must perform several pieces, and they are then judged on their entire performance,” said Wright.  “Our Orcas group chose the additional challenge of playing without a conductor.” Orcas High School Strings performed all three movements of Mozart’s Divertimento in F Major, KV 138, and Plink Plank Plunk by Leroy Anderson. Ensembles are judged on their tone and intonation, balance and blend, rhythmic precision, articulation and bowing, technical facility, interpretation and style, dynamics, expression and phrasing, selection of music and stage presence.

Both of these trips would not have been possible without donations from the Music Advocacy Group. MAG paid the costs of registration and school bus transportation for the students.

Last January the Orcas High School Strings were selected the First Alternate for State Competition at the SJMEA SoloEnsemble Contest, again coming in second to Bellingham’s Sehome High School. At the Music Advocacy Group’s March 1 concert, the Orcas High School ensemble received a standing ovation for their performance of the first movement of Bach’s Concerto in D minor for Two Violins.

Next up is the year-end Orcas High School music concert – featuring band and strings – on Thursday, June 4 at Orcas Center. Mark your calendars. School Music Matters!