The Clark College 61^st Annual Jazz Festival is in the books! Thanks to the student musicians, band directors, chaperons, family, and community members who attended the 61^st Annual Clark College Jazz Festival from January 30 through February 1. Nearly 60 middle school and high school jazz bands performed for an appreciative audience at the world-class jazz festival.

The festival’s top award, the 2025 Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes trophy, was awarded to Mountain View High School Jazz I of Vancouver, Wash.

The jazz bands represented middle schools and high schools from a large region. Although many of the student musicians live in Clark County or the Portland metro area, many came from much further away —from as far north as Port Angeles, Washington, as far east as Yakima, and as far south as San Jose, California. Here is an overview of the participating jazz bands:

• Middle school jazz bands: 13 bands total, including 8 from Clark County, and others from Portland, Chehalis, Lacey, and Seattle
• High school “A” division: 6 bands total, including 2 from Clark County, and others from White Salmon, Port Angeles, and Langley
• High school “AA” division: 11 bands total, including 5 from Clark County, and others from Portland, Chehalis, Yakima, and Seattle
• High school “AAA” division: 12 bands total, including 6 from Clark County, and others from Portland, Lake Oswego, Seattle, Lake Stevens, and Bothell
• High school “AAAA” division: 10 bands total, including 4 from Clark County, and others from Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Seattle, Lake Stevens, and San Jose, California
• In addition, 5 bands across all divisions performed to receive comments only, but did not compete. They represented schools in Clark County, Portland, and Yakima.

New: Farrell Family Instrument Award

The inaugural Farrell Family Instrument Award was presented to Clark College student Ian Arellano Mendez, who received a Buffet B flat clarinet. Norman Farrell is a Ridgefield musician and community volunteer. He and his wife, Carol Tocco, see access to a high-quality instrument as an essential part of achieving excellence in the continuing pursuit of college-level musical training. This award, made at the discretion of the Music Department, will go to a promising student participating in the Jazz Band at Clark College.

Mr. Farrell explained his impetus for providing the new award: “I had the good fortune to play great instruments from an early age; they have been a crucial and joyful part of my musical life.”

Middle School Awards

Middle School Silver Division jazz ensemble:

• 1^st place – Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, Wash.
• 2^nd place – Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, Wash.
• 3^rd place – Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, Wash.

Outstanding section awards:

• Best trombone section: Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver, Wash.
• Best trumpet section: Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, Wash.
• Best rhythm section: Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, Wash.
• Best saxophone section: Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, Wash.

Outstanding musician awards:

• Sellwood Middle School, Portland, Ore.: Archer Kleiss, Sean Hansman
• View Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield, Wash.: Maddy Gilbert
• Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis, Wash.: Maxton Hill, Jackson Groberg
• Lauren Middle School, Battle Ground, Wash.: Kylie Grier
• Wy’East Middle School, Vancouver, Wash.: Henry Ormson
• Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground, Wash.: Addie Sahler
• Beaumont Middle School, Portland, Ore.: Jack Levenson, Ben Beadie
• Skyridge Middle School, Camas, Wash.: Charles Moen
• Aspire Middle School, Lacey, Wash.: Gio Ramirez
• Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie, Wash.: Jack Andreev, Landon Brown, Ashton Clark, Linnea Currens
• Liberty Middle School, Camas, Wash.: Keiran Ohta
• Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, Wash.: Julia Vaughan, Audrey Senescall, Lenka  Dzunic, Oren Sternberg
• Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground, Wash.: Carson Coker

High School “A” Division Awards

“A” Division – High school jazz ensemble:        

•  1^st place – South Whidbey High School, Langley, Wash.
• 2^nd place – Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, Wash.
• 3^rd place – Beaumont Middle School Jazz Ambassadors, Portland, Ore.

“A” Division – Outstanding section awards:

• Best saxophone section: Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, Wash.
• Best trumpet section: South Whidbey High School, Langley, Wash.
• Best trombone section: South Whidbey High School, Langley, Wash.
• Best rhythm section: Beaumont Middle School, Portland, Ore.

“A” Division – Outstanding musician awards:

• Columbia High School, White Salmon, Wash.: Lila Witherrite
• Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Jeremy Solis, Francisco Ramirez-Vasquez, Graham Rank
• Northwinds Homeschool, Port Angeles, Wash.: Eve Breithaupt
• Beaumont Middle School, Portland, Ore.: Evan Krall, Jack Flusche
• Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Stephen Samwell, Gibson Lueck, Brennan Richardson, Kyler Dixon, Leo Gerhart,  Nancy Nguyen
• South Whidbey High School, Langley, Wash.: Connor Porter, Liam Watkins, Abram Durham, Mila Wright, Olin Nelson, Felix Kehl, Irene Stewart

High School “AA” Division Awards

“AA” Division high school jazz ensemble:

•  1^st place – Mountain View High School Jazz II, Vancouver, Wash.
• 2^nd place – W.F. West High School, Chehalis, Wash.
• 3^rd place – Heritage High School Jazz II, Vancouver, Wash.

“AA” Division – Outstanding musician awards:

• West Valley High School, Yakima, Wash: Maggie Eldridge
• La Center High School, La Center, Wash.: Oliver Stub
• Parkrose High School, Portland, Ore.: Sophie Ohle
• Grant High School, Portland, Ore: Daiel Gerber, Zach Hillenbrand
• Mountain View High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Reggie Kellog, Joshua Leahu
• Ingraham High School, Seattle, Wash.: Elliott Emerson
• Isaiah McCaw – Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, Wash.
• Columbia River High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Furious Hill, Macie MacDonald
• W.F. West High School, Chehalis, Wash.: Caleb Gill
• Heritage High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Joy Sanchez
• Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle, Wash.: Cormac Saleem

High School “AAA” Division Awards

“AAA” Division – High school jazz ensemble:   

• 1^st place – Mountain View High School Jazz I, Vancouver, Wash.
• 2^nd place – Grant High School Jazz II, Portland, Ore.
• 3^rd place – Heritage High School Jazz I, Vancouver, Wash.

“AAA” Division – Outstanding musician awards:

• Union High School, Camas, Wash.: Reese Billington
• Grant High School, Portland, Ore.: GeorZia Doughty, Sasha Burns, Xander Buck, Reed Bevan, Sasi Isreb
• Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, Ore.: Rowan Ducker, Mia Jensen
• Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, Wash.: Kylie Forston, Brody Gray
• Prairie High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Gavin DeMoss, William Johnstone
• Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, Wash.: Lillian LaFontaine, Jack Melton, George Powell
• Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie, Wash.: Levi Brown, Mason Seal, Thilo Kluth, Jack Smith, Brenden Weber
• Garfield High School, Seattle, Wash.: Sam Brookover
• Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens, Wash.: Gabe Lawrence
• Ingraham High School, Seattle, Wash.: Meler Eagan, Nathan Doyle, Beckett VanDyke, Riley Mason
• Mountain View High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Harrison Matz, Rey Notarte, Venunye Tamakloe, Bella Fitzgerald, Kenji Tanaka, Shiloh Rush
• Bothell High School, Bothell, Wash.: Sachita Kadirvelu, Nathan Jonart
• Heritage High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Henry Ngo, Dakotah Leach

High School “AAAA” Division Awards

“AAAA” Division – High school jazz ensemble:

• 1^st Place – Garfield High School Jazz I, Seattle, Wash.
• 2^nd Place – Grant High School Jazz I, Portland, Ore.
• 3^rd Place – Union High School Jazz I, Camas, Wash.

“AAAA” Division – Outstanding high school musician awards:

• Glencoe High School, Hillsboro, Ore.: Holly Hesemann
• Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego, Ore.: Mila Kaplan, Elaina Stupples
• Branham High School, San Jose, Calif.: Matsya Vinodh
• Skyview High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Jonah Travers Powers
• Prairie High School, Vancouver, Wash.: Aubrey Grier, Ruth Sprenger
• Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, Wash.: Driggs Hemming, Ekaterina Kalinin, Maddox Cheen-Connley
• Union High School, Camas, Wash.: Isabelle Cryan, Cooper Givens
• Garfield High School, Seattle, Wash.: Timothy Park, Brayden Wang, Will Heath, Bolan Delange

Comments Only Participants

Outstanding musician awards (bands who performed, but did not compete)

• Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, Wash.: Soren Vrosh
• Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, Wash.: Eli Lennick, Joseph McKnight
• Vernon Middle School, Portland, Ore.: Beatrix Heller
• Covington Middle School, Portland, Ore.: Colton Woods, Trinity Harter
• West Valley High School, Yakima, Wash.: Keira Osburn, Hyrum Jensen

Congratulations to all the fine bands who participated! Please join us next year on the last weekend of January for the 62nd Annual Clark College Jazz Festival.

About Clark College Jazz Festival

The Clark College Jazz Festival has evolved since its beginning in 1962 when Don Cammack, Hudson’s Bay High School band director organized a one-day high school stage band invitational, the Southwest Washington Jazz Festival, at Hudson’s Bay. Over the decades, under the direction of dedicated music educators Dale Beacock, Chuck Ramsey, Richard Inouye, and Dr. Doug Harris, the festival expanded. In 1970, Beacock, then band director at both Clark College and Fort Vancouver High School, held the festival at Clark College for the first time. The Clark College Stage Band Invitational at Clark hosted 17 high school jazz bands. Beacock’s vision for a competitive jazz showcase for schools throughout Washington and greater Portland promoted the festival’s growth. In 1971, 32 bands competed over two days; participation grew to 52 bands by 1976. The 60^th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival in 2024 welcomed 56 middle and high school jazz ensembles, more than 1,200 student musicians and more than 3,000 people during the three-day event, directed by Dr. Doug Harris, director of bands at Clark College. 

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Eighteen area middle school and high school choirs performed at the 9th Annual Choral Festival on Friday, November 15.  Hosted by the Clark College Music Department, the festival is a favorite fall event in our area that inspires choral directors and singers for a season of creating and performing choral literature for the year. Participants travel from as far as Lacey, Washington, 109 miles away.

The festival is more than a schedule of performances. It’s an on-site gathering for community and learning for both the directors and singers.

Festival Director Dr. Jacob Funk, who is also the Director of Choirs at Clark College, said, “Participating choirs got the chance to work with some highly skilled clinicians and receive written feedback on their performance. Each choir had a mini-clinic onstage, allowing for the other schools to see how a different choir learns new ways to succeed.

Two of the Clark College Choirs performed for all the participating choirs in the middle of the festival. It was a wonderful time of music making, learning, and supporting each other in song.”

The choir clinicians who offered choirs on-stage feedback between performances included Dr. Katy Green, Dr. John Guarente, Dr. Shohei Kobayashi, and Dr. Tiffany Walker.

Participating choirs included:

• Timberline HS Chamber Choir—Lacey, WA
• R A Long HS Chor Diem—Longivew, WA
• Henrietta Lacks HS Phoenix Choir—Vancouver, WA
• La Center HS Select Treble Choir—La Center, WA
• Skyview HS Chamber Choir—Vancouver, WA
• ACMA Synergy Choir—Beaverton, OR
• Union HS Concert Choir—Camas, WA
• North Marion HS Concert Choir—Aurora, OR
• Woodland HS Choir—Woodland, WA
• Union HS Advanced Treble Choir—Camas, WA
• Clark College Treble Ensemble and Concert Choir —Vancouver, WA
• Dexter McCarty MS Concert Choir—Gresham, OR
• Richland HS Chamber Choir—West Richland, WA
• VSAA Vocal Rep Ensemble—Vancouver, WA
• Heritage HS Women’s Ensemble—Vancouver, WA
• Camas HS Select Treble Choir—Camas, WA
• VSAA Vocal Style & Tech Ensemble—Vancouver, WA
• Heritage HS Select Treble—Vancouver, WA
• Camas HS Select Bass Choir—Camas, WA

For more information:

• Learn more about Clark’s music program’s degrees and certificates
• Meet Clark’s distinguished Music Department staff
• Schedule of Music Events and auditions
• Upcoming Annual Jazz Festival in January 2025

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

The Clark College Music department presents five winter term concerts from March 6 through 22. Admission is free. All are welcome. Donations for the college’s Music programs are accepted at the door.

The Music department presents extraordinary concerts and programs throughout the year for the college community and the greater community. Faculty and students work together to create professional level performances that are entertaining and provide students with valuable experience to help develop their musical talents. See details of music performances at www.clark.edu/cc/music.

Jazz Band Winter Concert

• When: Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Gaiser Student Center, Gaiser Hall, main campus
• Conductor: Dr. Doug Harris
• Admission: Free; donations accepted for Band Scholarship fund

Conductor Dr. Doug Harris said, “We’re going to perform music from many of the great, and varied, big bands, including music from Louis Bellson, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and, of course, the great Count Basie. We are also excited to debut our jazz combo.”

Clark Treble & Chorale Winter Concert

• When: Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: First United Methodist Church, 401 E. 33rd St., Vancouver
• Director: Dr. Jacob Funk
• Pianist: Jeongmi Yoon
• Admission: Free; donations accepted for the Clark College Choral Fund

The Treble Ensemble will perform “Er ist gekommen” by Clara Schumann, “Lux Aeterna from Missa” by Z. Randall Stroope, “The Silver Swan” by Oliver Tarney, “The Rising” by Andrea Ramsey, “Listen” by Reena Esmail and “Does the World Say?” by Kyle Pederson.

Clark College Chorale will perform a traditional camp meeting song “No Time” arranged by Susan Brumfield, “Calling from Afar” by James Eakin III, “Sudden Light” by Thomas Juneau, “We are the Music Makers” by Reginal Wright and “Song of Life” by Reginald Unterseher.

Clark College Concert Band Winter Performance

• When: Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Skyview High School Auditorium, 1300 NW 139th Street, Vancouver
• Director: Dr. Doug Harris
• Admission: Free; donations accepted to the college’s Music department

The concert includes David Maslanka’s “Mother Earth (A Fanfare),” Hiroaki Kataoka’s “Barbaresque,” Johan de Meij’s “Lord of the Rings: Symphony No. 1: Gandalf,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Fantasia in G Major,” Erika Svanoe’s “Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein: A Modern Promethean Tango” and John Zdechlik’s “Celebrations.”

Clark Concert Choir and Chamber Choir Winter Performance

• When: Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: First United Methodist Church, 401 E. 33rd St., Vancouver
• Director: Dr. Jacob Funk
• Admission: Free; donations accepted for the Clark College Choral Fund

The program includes the world premiere performance of “One Last Time,” a work composed by Clark music student Benjamin Friend. Also on the program are Dawson’s “Soon Ah Will Be Done,” Runestad’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” Barnum’s “After the Music,” Hagen’s “On My Dreams” and “Temporal” by Puerto Rican composers Diana V. Sáez and Suzzette Ortiz. The Chamber Choir will begin the program with two songs concerning existential anxiety and closing with a piece about eternity.

Clark College Orchestra Winter Concert

• When: Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Durst Theater, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, 3101 Main St., Vancouver
• Music Director/Conductor: Dr. Donald Appert
• Admission: Free; donations accepted for the Orchestra General Fund
• The program features works by Ethel Smyth, Richard Wagner and “Symphony No. 2” by Jean Sibelius.

Dame Ethel Mary Smyth was an English composer and a member of the women’s suffrage movement. Smyth tended to be marginalized as a ‘woman composer’ as though her work could not be accepted as mainstream. Yet when she produced more delicate compositions, they were criticized for not measuring up to the standard of her male competitors. Nevertheless, she was granted a damehood, the first female composer to be so honored. Smyth composed her most famous opera The Wreckers (premiered in 1906) to a French libretto by Henry Brewster. The Wreckers is considered by some critics to be the “most important English opera composed during the period between Purcell and Britten. The orchestra will perform the Overture to “The Wreckers”.

Thanks to the student musicians, band directors, chaperons, family, and community members who attended the 60^th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival from January 25-27. Nearly 60 middle school and high school jazz bands performed and delighted the appreciative audience—from toddlers to seniors. I’m pleased to announce the 2024 Jazz Festival results. 

The top award of the competition is the Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes trophy, named after the Clark College band instructor who brought the jazz festival to our campus so many years ago.  

Top award: 2024 Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes trophy: Bothell High School Jazz 1, Bothell 

View the Results

Middle School Silver Division Jazz Ensemble: 

• 1^st place: Beaumont Middle School, Portland 
• 2^nd place: Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground 
• 3^rd place: Eckstein Middle School, Seattle 

Outstanding Middle School Jazz Musicians: 

Aspire Middle School, Lacey 

• Dylan Her  
• Nate Richardson 

Beaumont Middle School, Portland 

• Marilyn Ruthruff 
• Iris Ruthruff 
• Nate Lyon 

Chehalis Middle School, Chehalis 

• Ben Mittge  
• Maxton Hill 

Chief Umtuch Middle School, Battle Ground 

• Gavin DeMoss 
• Eli Lennick 

Eckstein Middle School, Seattle 

• Emily Chen  
• Ellie Bailey  
• Margo Cox  
• Oren Sternberg 

Hockinson Middle School, Brush Prairie 

• Oliver Armstrong 

Laurin Middle School, Battle Ground 

• Cody Halley 
• London Coy 

Liberty Middle School, Camas 

• Rowan Armintrout 
• Charlotte Summers 
• Katie Evert 

Skyridge Middle School, Camas 

• Elliot Foster 
• Daniel Liu  
• Jacob Weinstock 

South Whidbey Middle School, Langley 

• Lhamo Doryang 
• Judah Macarro 
• Dante Churchill 

Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver 

• Danica Jahr  
• Zach Pan 

View Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield 

• Lizzy Bloom 

Wy’east Middle School, Vancouver 

• Tyson Ruark 
• Henry Ormson 

A Division—Outstanding Jazz Ensemble:      

• 1^st place: South Whidbey High School, Langley 
• 2^nd place: Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver 
• 3^rd place: Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground 

A Division—Outstanding High School Musicians: 

Adna Middle/High School, Adna 

• Jordan Stout  
• Myra Medina 

Columbia High School, White Salmon 

• Anna Zendt – Columbia High School, White Salmon 
• August Peterson – Columbia High School, White Salmon 

Concordia Christian Academy, Tacoma 

• Danny McCarthy 
• Jason Nguyen 

Henrietta Lacks High School, Vancouver 

• Jeremy Solis  
• Graham Rank  

La Center High School, La Center 

• Kristin Dunlap 
• Dominic Stub  
• Aleks Chygasov 

Seton Catholic High School, Vancouver 

• Joseph DiPrima 
• Parker Zaemann 
• Kyler Dixon  
• Stephen Samwel 

South Whidbey High School, Langley 

• Olin Nelson 
• Corbyn Orchard 

Tukes Valley Middle School, Battle Ground 

• Lincoln Toland 
• Jackson Pierce 
• Basil Middlemas  

Woodland Middle/High School, Woodland 

• Stacti Dore 
• Emma McCaullough  
• Sam Purcell  
• Harland Wakefield  

AA Division—High School Jazz Ensemble: 

• 1^st place: Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie 
• 2^nd place (tie): Richland High School Freshman, Richland 
• 2^nd place (tie): Lakewood High School, Lakewood 

AA Division—Outstanding Middle School and High School Musicians:  

Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground 

• Hayden McCarty 
• Chloe Kalson 

Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle 

• Zandy Owens 

Columbia River High School, Vancouver 

• Preston White 

Heritage High School, Vancouver 

• Naomi Halbrook 
• Cynthia Reyes-Mendoza  
• Jocelyn Cole 

Hockinson High School, Brush Prairie 

• Thilo Kluth  
• Jack Smith  
• Levi Brown 
• Adam Haunreiter  
• Blake Bruning 

Lakewood High School, North Lakewood 

• Leo Sandoval  
• Isaias Fuentes-Palominos 

Richland High School, Richland 

• Henry Van Mason 
• Victor Zinchuk 

Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield 

• Michael Grove  

W.F. West High School, Chehalis 

• Amanda Linwood  
• Parker Morrison  

AAA Division—High School Jazz Ensemble:             

• 1^st place: Heritage High School Jazz I, Vancouver 
• 2^nd place: Bothell High School Jazz II, Bothell 
• 3^rd place: Battle Ground High School Intermediate Jazz I, Battle Ground 

AAA Division—Outstanding High School Musicians: 

Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground 

• Logan Gillespie  
• Janae Clark 

Bothell High School, Bothell 

• Christian Oversvee-Choi  
• Nathan Bardsley  
•  Sachita Kadievelu  
• Aliah Bragg 

Grant High School, Portland 

• Nathan Lauruhn 

Heritage High School, Vancouver 

• Gavin Williamson 

Kamiak High School, Mukilteo 

• Heidi Anderson  
• Ryan Jackson 

Ingraham High School, Seattle 

• Maggie Roth  
• Felix Lewis 

Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens 

• Allison Llubit  
• Mark Rodeheaver 

Prairie High School, Battle Ground 

• Kyle Davenport  
• Judah Bollock 

Richland High School, Richland 

• Cannon West  
• Tyler Hornell 

Skyview High School, Vancouver 

• Liam Purcell 
• Cadence Sempk 

Union High School, Camas  

• Cooper Givens  
• Kieran Iyer  

Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver 

• Sam Arslanian  
• McKelvey Brewer 

AAAA Division—High School Jazz Ensemble:          

• 1^st place: Bothell High School Jazz I, Seattle 
• 2^nd place: Lake Stevens High School Jazz I, Lake Stevens 
• 3^rd place: Grant High School Jazz I, Portland 

AAAA Division—Outstanding High School Musicians: 

Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground 

• Andie Townsend 
• Carter Stafford 

Bothell High School, Bothell 

• Dylan Reed  
• Thomas Holmes  
• Aaron Mamula 
• Nicholas Ang 

Buchanan High School, Clovis, Calif. 

• Kono Tiyaamornwong  
• Will Damrose  
• Trevor Nix 

Edmonds-Woodway High School, Edmonds 

• Gavin Bunbury  
• Addisyn Johnson 

Grant High School, Portland 

• Sasha Burns  
• Xander Buck  
• Oli Rangle 

Ingraham High School, Seattle 

• Henry Goss  
• Nathan Doyle 

Kamiak High School, Mukilteo 

• Ethan Park  
• Ian Park 

Lake Stevens High School, Lake Stevens 

• Phineas Ruji  
• Jack Santos 

Richland High School, Richland  

• James Brady  
• Henry Rice  

Skyview High School, Vancouver 

• Alejandro Santana  
• Sean Malcom  

Union High School, Camas 

• Izzy Cryan  
• Evelyn Lo  

Congratulations to Clark College adjunct piano instructor Melissa Espindola Terrall, who recently received a Fulbright grant for the 2023-2024 academic year.  

Melissa will travel to Mexico to study and conduct research in piano at Conservatorio Nacional in Mexico City. Her research will focus on Mexican classical piano repertoire as she works to publish an anthology of music from this era. While abroad, Terrall will also perform recitals featuring the work of Mexican and American composers.  

The Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries. The U.S. Student Fulbright program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement, as well as their record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. Fulbright grants provide funding for round-trip travel, maintenance for one academic year, health and accident insurance and, where relevant, tuition. 

Terrall lives in Portland. She earned a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of Kansas in 2022. 

Learn more about Melissa and hear her play: https://www.melissaterrallpiano.com/ 

Photo credit: ilumina photography

On Wednesday, December 4, the award-winning Clark College Orchestra will present its fall concert as part of the 2019-2020 season celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dr. Donald Appert as Clark College Music Director/Conductor. This all-orchestral extravaganza will include La Valse by Maurice Ravel, Nuages and Fêtes from Claude Debussy’s Nocturnes, and Josef Suk’s Symphony No. 1 in E Minor.

The performance is at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Skyview High School in Vancouver. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations to the Orchestra General Fund will be accepted at the door.

For
complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts
including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

About Dr. Donald Appert

Dr. Donald Appert has appeared as a guest conductor in Japan, Australia, Central America, and throughout Europe. In Italy La’ovadese wrote, “… the performance of the ‘Serenade in C Major’ of Tchaikovsky, under the exceptional direction of Appert, was in such a style that it brought out the elegance and grace of the melodic lines with Mozartian inspiration.”  Giornale di Sicilla praised his interpretation of Nielsen’s First Symphony as “lyrical with an airy freshness,” and his conducting as “precise, painstakingly accurate, and diligent.” In the United States, he has appeared as a guest conductor of the Vancouver (Washington) Symphony, the University of Texas – Arlington Symphony Orchestra, the Eastern Washington University Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Central Arkansas Symphony.

As one of only five musicians chosen, Dr. Appert received the 2015 Honored Artists of The American Prize for “individuals who have proven themselves to be musicians of sustained excellence over a number of seasons.” Adding to this distinctive honor is his 2011 The American Prize in Orchestral Programming – Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award for his work with the Oregon Sinfonietta. 

Dr. Appert was awarded the 2015 ASCAPLUS Award in recognition of his performances in Italy and the United States. His awards in previous years were for performances in Romania, Qatar, Europe, Central America, Japan, and the United States. Dr. Appert is the recipient of the 2014 Clark County Arts Commission Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award, and in 2009, he received the Washington Community College Humanities Association Exemplary Status Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Humanities. 

As a member of ASCAP, most of Dr. Appert’s compositions have been performed throughout the world. A recent work, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, commissioned by and for Jeffrey Butler of the Houston Symphony, had its world première to great applause on June 17, 2018, with Mr. Butler as soloist and the Clark College Orchestra accompanying him.