Category: Orcas Island Middle School

Public school music program needs chair carts for daily use — GiveOrcas Holiday Campaign 2021

December 1, 2021

Orcas Island Music Advocacy Group (MAG) is helping to raise money for 4 steel carts to safely stack, move, store and protect the 80 or so music chairs used daily by 5th-12th grade music students for practice and performance in the public school. These storage carts will keep large stacks of chairs stable, freeing up … More Public school music program needs chair carts for daily use — GiveOrcas Holiday Campaign 2021

2021 Fall School Music News

November 2, 2021

Hello from MAG! School music has started, in-person, at Orcas public schools. Hooray! The high school band even performed ‘live’ at the Homecoming week bonfire on the Village Green on October 8th. Holiday concerts are being planned, albeit only open to families at this time. This year, there are 116 students in Band and Strings … More 2021 Fall School Music News

October 2021 Music Student of the Month – Paxton White

November 2, 2021

A junior at Orcas high school, Paxton packs a busy daily schedule that starts with zero-hour band class and ends with after-school sports, often with away games that end with a late ferry ride home.  With all he has going on, he still brings enthusiasm to the band with his tuba playing!  We love his … More October 2021 Music Student of the Month – Paxton White

September 2021 Music Student of the Month – Silas Kok

October 6, 2021

As a high school student musician in the Strings program, Silas starts his school day at ‘zero hour’—7:30am, an hour before regular classes begin.  In his leisure time, he plays bass guitar, piano, and drums.  Wow! Read more about what drives him.  Congratulations on being the first Music Student of the Month in the 2021-22 … More September 2021 Music Student of the Month – Silas Kok

Hooray for April/May/June 2021 Music Students of the Month

October 4, 2021

A belated but heartfelt congratulations to these amazing Orcas Island middle school musicians—Stella Dillard, Vera Sasan and Lauro Quintero, who helped us close out a highly adapted last quarter of the 2020-21 school music program! And once again, thank you to the generous sponsors of the ’Music Student of the Month’ series! Now that the … More Hooray for April/May/June 2021 Music Students of the Month

March 2021 Music Student of the Month – Athena Moore

March 30, 2021

Athena’s love for playing the viola comes through clearly when she talks about playing music and she brings her enthusiasm to class as Strings Director Pamela Wright attests.  Reflecting on the value of regular practice, Athena shared that she could not read music when she first started learning the viola three years ago; now she … More March 2021 Music Student of the Month – Athena Moore

February 2021 Music Student of the Month – Henry Walker

March 30, 2021

Henry, an 8th grader, has been playing percussion since 5th grade, and now finds himself tapping out a tempo quite naturally.  His advice for new or hesitant students is simply to not overthink it because playing music is fun.  Nevertheless, Band Director Darren Dix has noted Henry’s effort at pushing himself musically throughout the virtual … More February 2021 Music Student of the Month – Henry Walker

October 2019 Music Student of the Month – Katie Spinogatti

October 30, 2019

Since first grade, Katie knew that the violin would be the instrument of her choice and it is still the instrument she turns to whenever she is feeling bored or sad. She has some wise words for beginning strings students below.  Congratulations Katie, we love your attitude to learning music! It will be rough when … More October 2019 Music Student of the Month – Katie Spinogatti