Dear Clark County Band Director,
I hope your year is off to a great start!
I’m writing to you in hopes that you will consider encouraging your students to apply for the third annual North County Honor Band! All students in grades 8 thru 12 from any middle or high school in the Battle Ground, Camas, Hockinson, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, and Woodland school districts are invited and encouraged to apply.
This year’s honor band weekend will take place Friday and Saturday, February 19th and 20th. 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 the attached application. There is also a small section on the application for directors to fill out on each student. Every school is guaranteed at least one student in the honor group.
Options for sending applications back:
- ESD Interdistrict Mail (mark for Corey McEnry at Hockinson High School)
- Scan/email: corey.mcenry@hocksd.org
- Fax: 360-448-6459
- Mail: Hockinson High School ATTN: Corey McEnry, 16819 NE 159th St., Brush Prairie, WA 98606
All applications are due October 23rd.
A selection committee made up of local band directors will get together on Thursday, October 29 at Hockinson Middle School to review applications and select the groups. As a band director from one of our participating schools you are invited and encouraged to sit in on this committee and help make decisions on who is selected.
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!
We all have 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!
Middle School conductor: Mr. Gene Burton
Gene Burton recently retired after more than 30 years of teaching in the Gresham-Barlow School District. During his tenure he taught bands at Millwaukie High School, West Orient Middle School and Dexter McCarty Middle School. In addition to band, Gene has also taught leadership, technology, student council, photography, choir, general music and world music classes. His bands and choirs have performed at All State Conventions.
He has held leadership positions in several district events, presided at past Oregon Music Educators Association clinics, has been the organizing chair for the All-State M.S. Honor Bands from 2005-present, is currently 2nd Vice President of OMEA, has conducted various honor groups from around the state, and also enjoys adjudicating at the middle school level. In 2011 Gene received the John C. McMannus Distinguished Teacher Award in honor of a lifetime of service to music education and in recognition of highly distinguished professional accomplishment.
Gene is a native Oregonian, growing up in Gresham and receiving his Bachelor Of Arts in Music at Warner Pacific College and his Masters Degree at Portland State University. He enjoys spending time as a new grandparent with his wife, Tami, of 31 years and his 26 year old daughter, Ashley, who is now teaching English at Reynolds High School.
High School conductor: Dr. Christopher Bianco
Dr. Bianco brings a diverse background to the podium and to his students in the classroom. He has held positions at Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Illinois, Boise High School in Boise, Idaho, St. Francis High School in St. Francis Minnesota and Baylor University in Waco Texas. In those positions he was involved in all aspects of his students’ musical growth including Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band, Choir, Orchestra and Advanced Placement Music Theory.
He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. At Northwestern, Dr. Bianco played in virtually all of the concert ensembles including Don Owens’ Jazz I. While in the Chicago area Dr. Bianco maintained an active trumpet studio as well as holding the position of Artistic Director and Conductor of the Wilmette Community Band.
He completed his formal training at The University of Texas at Austin as a student of Jerry Junkin where he served as a teaching assistant for the conducting program, UT Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds and Longhorn Band. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Wind Conducting in December of 2004.
In addition to his work with Jerry Junkin, Dr. Bianco has studied conducting with John Paynter, Kevin Sedatole and Steve Bolstad. His trumpet teachers have included Vincent Cichowicz, Ray Sasaki, Steve Bolstad, David Coleman and Vince DiMartino.
Dr. Bianco is President Elect of the Northwest Region of the College Band Director’s National Association. Additionally, he recently completed a term as the Higher Education Curriculum Officer for the Executive Board of the Washington Music Educator’s Association.
Christopher now holds the position of Director of Bands and Music Department Chair at Western Washington University. He resides in Bellingham, Washington with his wife Laurie and their daughters Sophia and Elena.
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
North County Honor Band Co-Host North County Honor Band Co-Host
(360) 448-6450 x5594 (360) 448-6440 x5451
corey.mcenry@hocksd.org jennifer.ritenburgh@hocksd.org