High school band will travel to out of state competition
Eleanor Yarkin, Reporter
  In the spirit of competition and self-improvement, the high school band is traveling out-of-state for six days this April to attend the Forum Music Festival (FMF) in San Francisco. The band will have the chance to compete and be judged against other high schools on the national level.
  “This is an opportunity to have an incredibly memorable week that all centers around music and a … team experience,” band director Dan Baker said.
  The band hopes to raise enough money so that every one of the 36 band members will be able to attend the trip regardless of their financial standing. Band members are currently fundraising through selling concessions at sports events, bake sales, raffles, and an orange and grapefruit sale.
  “[Fundraising is] going to be a lot of hard work,” senior clarinetist Lucy Boyle said. “I think we need to focus on fundraising, and everyone really needs to pull their own weight.”
  The trip presents a unique opportunity for the band members in which they will both showcase their own music and learn from other musicians while driving through Oregon to San Francisco.
  “Our students will compete at the Forum Music Festival, receive a clinic at [University of Oregon], perform at various schools and public venues, and get a chance to see live performances of top professional musicians,” Baker said.
  Boyle spoke to the importance of this exposure, especially as it comes from outside the Pacific Northwest and will help broaden students’ horizons.
  “[The trip will provide] an opportunity to see how music is a big part of the world outside of our band,” Boyle said. “It will give us a good sense of what we can do with our music in the future outside of high school.”
  The trip will also serve to unify the band. After growing significantly in numbers this year, the band has been practicing with their new members to create a unified and cohesive ensemble.
  “Band doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t come easy,” Baker said. “We work to build daily practice, accept failures, set long-term goals, encourage student leadership, and set a high standard.”
  Along with many new members, the band has a core of older, more seasoned musicians who will graduate this June.
  “Many experienced players are leaving the band as seniors, so that will be [a challenge] that the band will need to deal with next year,” senior trumpeter Leander Swan said.
  Baker is similarly focused on how the transition will affect the band.
  “We have a lot of strong leadership in the group,” Baker said. “Students new to the high school world of band have been able to look up to upperclassmen who lead by example and know what I expect.”
  Band is a unique class in that students are with the same group of people for multiple years, not just a semester.
  “This group of people brings a new kind of passion and new kind of ability to grow the program,” Boyle said.
  The band’s growth this year contributed greatly to Baker’s decision to take a group trip sooner rather than later.
  “I have wanted to take the high school band on an extended trip for a while,” Baker said. “This year we have a lot of the right pieces: strong musicians, great leaders, [and] new enthusiasm.”
  Once arriving in San Francisco by bus, the band will visit popular tourist sights in the city before competing at Forum Music Festival (FMF).
  “These students have spent every single morning — and many evenings — together in band for years now … working to create the best musical product possible,” Baker said. “This trip is a chance to reward their hard work, be proud of a group experience, and represent our school.”