CV musicians perform with guest conductor
Band students at Central Valley High School were visited by a guest conductor from George Mason University last week.
Anthony Maiello, director of instrumental studies at the college in Fairfax, Va., spent the week with band and percussion students during classes and each night for an hour and a half with each band – the symphonic, concert winds and wind ensemble.
Band director Eric Parker said the band and color guard boosters set up and funded the visit for the students. Last year, the boosters brought in a conductor from Australia.
“It was wildly successful,” Parker said.
He said bringing in a guest conductor gives students a new perspective on the music they perform. He’s been working since the beginning of the school year with Maiello and the students to practice the pieces they performed Thursday night.
“They realize there’s different ways of doing the same job,” Parker said.
Maiello said he’s been teaching for about 45 years and travels all over the world doing workshops with high school, college and professional musicians.
“The kids are delightful,” he said of the CV band students. He said they have been courteous, kind and have behaved wonderfully.
“Plus, they play well, too,” Maiello said.
Maiello said that he also works with many all-state bands and notes that getting to that level of performance is highly competitive.
“To get to all-state, you have to really be tops,” he said. “The average high school student never gets to play in that kind of setting.”
He said visits to a school like Central Valley give the students an opportunity to perform in an almost professional setting.
Manvir Singh, a senior who plays percussion, said having Maiello work with them this week has been a great experience for him.
“He’s really funny,” Singh said. “I would expect him to be all strict.” Singh said the pieces the band has played have been a challenge.
“I’ve never played a song like that,” he said of the piece, “Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual” by Robert W. Smith. “He gets into it.”
Zach Gunderson, a junior in the percussion section, said he was also challenged by the piece, which had several different time signatures, not just the usual four beats a measure.
“These grooves that we’re playing with ‘Africa,’ ” Gunderson said. “Some are off-beat and syncopated.”
The three bands performed several pieces Thursday night. The band will also perform during its holiday concert Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Boards of Distinction
Two Spokane Valley School Boards have been recognized by the Washington State School Directors’ Association as Boards of Distinction.
The East Valley and the West Valley school boards were honored for meeting the following benchmarks: conducting board and district business in a fair respectful and responsible manner; articulating the conviction that all students can learn and the belief that student learning can improve regardless of existing circumstances; providing for the safety and security of all students and staff; committing to continuous improvement in student achievement at each school and throughout the district; and collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse interests and needs and mobilizing community resources.
The members of the East Valley School board are Kerri Lunstroth, Roger Trainor, Mitch Jensen, Mike Harris and Heidi Gillingham. John Glenewinkel is the superintendent.
The members of the West Valley school board are Jim Williams, Bob Dompier, Pam McLeod, Bob Wentworth, and Sam Andrews. The student representatives to the board are Shannen Tai Mei Wan and Jaymee Vaughn. Polly Crowley is the superintendant.
Meeting canceled
The Central Valley School District board of directors has canceled its regular meeting on Dec. 27 due to a potential lack of a quorum.
For more information about the CV school board, visit www.cvsd.org.
Middle school food drive
East Valley Middle School, 4920 N. Progress Road, is holding a food drive now through Dec. 15.
The drive is in conjunction with the Partners Advancing Character Education character trait of the month, caring.
The students have a goal of stuffing Principal Mark Purvine’s office full of canned food which will be donated to Spokane Valley Partners.
The school will also present a movie night featuring the Christmas classic, “A Christmas Story,” Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. Admission to the movie is a donation for the food drive.
For more information, call the school office at (509) 924-9383.
West Valley School District’s holiday concert schedule
The West Valley School District has announced the dates for its holiday music performances.
The Centennial Middle School band will present its concert at 7 p.m. Monday at the school, 915 N. Ella Road.
The elementary school strings concert will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the West Valley High School Fieldhouse Gym, 8301 E. Buckeye Ave.
First-graders at Orchard Center Elementary School will present a concert Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the school gym, 7519 E. Buckeye Ave.
The Centennial Middle School strings will perform Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the school.
The West Valley High School band will perform Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. in the school theater.
Second and third-graders at Seth Woodard Elementary will perform Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the school gym, 7401 E. Mission Ave.
For more information, call the district office at (509) 924-2150.
National Board Certifications in East Valley
The East Valley School District has announced the names of several teachers who have achieved National Board Certifications.
They are Valerie Kurtz, Georgina Redmond, Lori Merkel and Ryan Seidel of East Valley High School, Ronni Galeener and Jennifer Irwin of East Valley Middle School, and Theresa Kendall who works in the administration building.