I’m writing to you in hopes that students will consider applying for the second annual North County Honor Band! Last year, band directors from the Battle Ground and Hockinson school districts put together two honor bands, one middle school and one high school, made up of students from those districts as well as some of the smaller surrounding districts. Last year’s honor bands featured students from the Battle Ground, Hockinson, Ridgefield, and La Center school districts. This year, we are slightly expanding our applicant pool to include middle and high school students from Camas, Washougal, and Woodland.
This year’s honor band weekend will take place Friday and Saturday, February 20th and 21st. The groups will rehearse in the late afternoon/evening on Friday as well as the late morning and afternoon Saturday before performing a concert Saturday evening. The middle school band will rehearse at Hockinson Middle School while the high school band will rehearse at Hockinson High School. Both bands will perform their concert in the Hockinson High School auditorium.
In order to apply for the North County Honor Band, each student will need to
complete this application. Don’t forget to list your musical accomplishments on the back of the application! Your selection is based on the strength of your application; no audition is required.
All applications are due to Mr. McEnry by October 24th.
Participating in the North County Honor Band will count toward earning a band letter!
Why apply for the North County Honor Band?
It’s Local!
With so much musical talent in our state, our smaller schools and programs often get overlooked when it comes to selection for state and regional honor groups just due to the sheer number of applicants to these groups versus the number selected. Participating in the North County Honor Band not only gives those students who already play in honor bands another opportunity to grow and be challenged as musicians, but also provides a quality honor band experience for those students who may not always have the opportunity to participate in these state groups. This is not to say we are lowering the bar for our students; rather, we are striving to give all deserving students a chance to be a part of a high-level honor group.
It’s Affordable!
As directors, we all know students who are unable to participate in other honor bands due to the cost of these events. When you factor in travel, lodging, meals, and all the other costs some students end up spending close to $400 for an honor band weekend! At a price of $40 per student, the North County Honor Band is a bargain. We charge just enough to cover our expenses; there is no profit made off of this event for any band director or music program. We simply want a quality and affordable honor band experience for our students. Your $40 covers all costs for the weekend and includes a t-shirt and two meals for each participant. The Saturday evening concert is also free to the public.
It’s High Quality!
We go to great lengths to try and recruit some of the best teachers, conductors, and personalities to conduct these honor bands. This year will be no different. We are excited to announce this year’s honor band conductors!
High School conductor: Dr. Christopher Chapman
Dr. Chapman is the director of bands at Oregon State University where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds. Chapman guides all aspects of the band program, and coordinates the wind band conducting area. Under his direction, the OSU bands have gained notoriety and praise from composers and audiences alike. The OSU Wind Ensemble has toured extensively and has been featured in performance sites from Carnegie Hall in New York to concert halls on the U.S. West Coast and Japan.
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Chapman holds degrees in music from The Ohio State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the University of Washington. He has appeared as a conductor, clinician and lecturer throughout the United States. He is also a contributing author to “A Composer’s Insight: Thoughts, Analysis and Commentary on Contemporary Masterpieces for Wind Band,” a series of books on contemporary wind band composers for Meredith Music Publications, a subsidiary of the Hal Leonard Corporation and Teaching Music through Performance by GIA Publications. Chapman’s wind band compositions and arrangements are receiving performances across the United States.
Dr. Chapman is currently the past-president of Northwest division of the College Band Directors National Association and state representative of the National Band Association. He is an honorary member of the Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity where he has served as the co-governor of the Western district, and he is an honorary member of the Tau Beta Sigma honorary band sorority. He is also a member of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Oregon Band Directors Association, National Association for Music Educators, and Oregon Music Educators Association. Additionally, Chapman serves as the music director of the Oregon Brass Society, a British-style brass band in Springfield, Oregon.
Middle School conductor: Mr. Dan Ogren
Dan Ogren had a 36-year career as a band director at schools throughout Oregon. Although technically retired from full-time teaching, in the 2011-12 school year he taught sixth grade band in Lake Oswego and conducted the Clackamas Community College Band. He also conducted the Gresham School District Eighth Grade Honor Band, the Beaverton School District Eighth Grade Honor Band, and adjudicated and presented band clinics at schools in Oregon and Washington.
Dan holds a Bachelor of Music degree from California State University at Northridge. As a trumpeter, he performs with the Lake Oswego Millennium Concert Band (which he has also conducted) and the Brass Unlimited Quintet. He is also the conductor of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Concert Band.
We hope you and your students are excited to participate in this event. If you have any 8th grade siblings or friends, please encourage them to sign up as well! Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us back.
Thanks!
Corey McEnry Jennifer Ritenburgh
Director of Bands Director of Bands
Hockinson High School Hockinson Middle School
North County Honor Band Co-Host North County Honor Band Co-Host
(360) 448-6450 x5594 (360) 448-6440 x5451
