The 2014-2015 school year is proving to be a banner one for the Newberg High School music program.

Not only were 12 students selected to participate in the Western International Band Clinic (WIBC) Honor Band in Seattle Nov. 21-24, but 12 members of the program have also received All-state honors and will perform at the Oregon Music Education Association (OMEA) All State Convention in January.

The 12 students chosen for WIBC is the highest number for NHS in the past eight years and with the recent addition of one student as an alternate, all 12 students that auditioned will participate.

“It’s part recognition for how well they play and the other side of the coin is that it’s really a learning tool,” NHS band director Joel Tanner said. “They come back with a totally separate set of values in terms of their music education. It’s pretty exciting.”

The students selected for WIBC were percussionist Dylan Beam, clarinet players Anthony Bithell and Josh Butorac, horn players Roberth Bohall and Kevin Ramos, trombonist Thomas Gaumer, tuba player Liam Hathaway, bass clarinet player Kristi Hubbell, baritone saxophone player Michael McAdams, alto saxophone player Angel Nunez and flute players Emily Weiler and Jessica Isaacson. Tanner was informed Friday that Isaacson had been selected to participate as an alternate.

Tanner said that in his first year at NHS, just two or three students were accepted for WIBC, but that the number has been slowly increasing every year.

“The kids are more excited about it now and they start to see the value in those processes,” Tanner said. “They glean a lot of information from these events that they bring back. That’s the best part. They come back and tell everybody else what they’ve learned and everyone else’s eyes open up.”

WIBC selected 600 students from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wy­oming and even before results were announced, Tanner said he was impressed with the work his students put into recording their auditions. He estimated that it took each student about two to three hours to record their auditions.

“There are four tracks they have to record and on average, each kid did somewhere between 60 and 70 tracks in order to get ready and find the right one to send in,” Tanner said. “So we had the luxury of being able to do that. It’s really good for the kids because they get a chance to hear how they sound. Then they can really critique themselves and get better.”

Tanner will also participate in clinics at WIBC, where students will not only have the opportunity to work with renowned conductors and perform with their peers from across the region, but also attend various concerts and meet with college band directors from across the country. Tanner said his students will likely receive the music they are to play at the clinic this week.

“What’s really cool about it is some of the composers are conducting pieces they’ve composed, so every once in a while they’ll bring a piece that they’re going to premiere,” Tanner said. “It’s a fun weekend, but there’s also a lot of education.”

Led by Gaumer, nine of the 12 students selected for WIBC were also chosen to participate with an all-state band at the OMEA All State Convention in January, for which Tanner said auditions were even more difficult.

Gaumer will participate in both the All State Jazz Band and All State Orchestra, with Nunez, Bohall and Bithell named to the All State Wind Ensemble.

Playing in the All State Symphonic Band will be McAdams, Hathaway, Butorac, Beam and Hubbell.

Beam, Bithell, Bohall, Gaumer, Hubbell, Nunez and Hathaway have all participated in WIBC and been named All-State before this season, with Butorac also making a repeat appearance at WIBC.

Newberg will also be well represented on the All State Choir, as Luke Hartely, Tyler Mays and JJ Olson were chosen for that honor. All three also participate in the band program, with Mays earning a bid to WIBC last year.

Newberg will host its Fall Jazz Concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 11, featuring two jazz bands and a jazz combo.

Written by : Seth Gordon