Press Release
June 2, 2009
San Diego 's First “Music Bee” A Phenomenal Success
Over 150 Students Compete
Nearly 5,000 students in San Diego area schools participated in Orchestra Nova's Frances Hunter Music Memory program during the 2008-2009 school term, and over 150 students, representing their schools, competed for awards in San Diego's first-ever “Music Bee” competition on May 20 at Point Loma Nazarene University.
Reflecting one of Artistic Director Jung-Ho Pak's greatest passions in life – ensuring quality music education in our schools – Orchestra Nova (formerly the San Diego Chamber Orchestra) kicked off the Frances Hunter Music Memory Program last fall, one of the most extensive music education programs ever provided by an arts organization in the San Diego area. This contest is the culmination of the year's program. Thirty-five teams of 3rd, 4 th , 5 th and 6 th graders from seventeen schools in the San Diego , Del Mar and Encinitas unified school districts participated.
As their school mates, parents and others cheered each team on, the Brown Chapel auditorium became a beehive of activity as the orchestra played a few measures from some of the 16 pieces of classical music that each class had learned during the school year and the five finalists from each school team (3 rd and 4 th grades on one team, 5 th and 6 th grades on another team) huddled to come up with the title and composer during their allotted time of one minute.
“It's kind of like finding a lost civilization (classical music)…it gives the kids and opportunity to experience a world of beauty, a reason to be happy…and to be curious. The excitement you found here today…that's the ‘infection' we're trying to pass on to other kids,” says Maestro Pak.
According to one teacher, “I was fascinated by the different students in my classes that really ‘got into this' and became listening experts. It reached students that I would not have guessed would enjoy this kind of activity. It gave my school a way to honor its musicians like it honors its readers, writers, scientists and mathematicians.”
The winning teams:
3rd and 4th Grades
First Place Ties
Del Mar Hills Academy of Arts and Sciences
Jerebek Elementary School
Del Mar Heights Elementary School
Pete W. Ross Elementary School
Flora Vista Elementary School
5th and 6th Grades
First Place Tie
Jerebek Elementary School
Del Mar Heights Elementary School
“Some kids might think classical music is boring…but I think it's actually sort of cool,” says Adam Trubitt, a student on Jerebek Elementary School 's winning team.
Mollie Tower , founder of the current national Music Memory Program (originally begun in the 1920s), said, “These students were so well prepared that they produced the highest overall scores of any group that I work with across the country. The students in New York City , Dallas and Austin performed well, but the San Diego County students were amazing – seven teams had perfect scores – 100%. The lowest score was 76%, still an excellent score on a difficult test. Orchestra Nova is to be commended for their support of the Music Memory Program – it leads to a life-long love and knowledge of classical music. You guys ROCK !”
Judges for the event were local TV personality and musician, Dave Scott; Karen Childress-Evans Director of San Diego Unified School District's Visual and Performing Arts Department; and Laura Robinson, Director of Development at Integrium, also a member of Orchestra Nova's board of directors.
Named for Frances Hunter, a long-time supporter of the orchestra's music education programs, this program is open to all San Diego county schools. The San Diego , Del Mar and Encinitas unified school districts are participating this year, and more will be added next year. The only cost to the schools is a minimal amount for the materials (assisted by the orchestra, if necessary). Regular classroom and music teachers are trained at no charge, and the event is totally supported by the orchestra and its generous sponsors, Frances Hunter and Hunter Industries, Rancho Santa Fe Women's Fund and the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors (at the behest of Bill Horn).
Music Memory is a national program that has become a phenomenon across the country. Designed to develop a lasting appreciation for fine music in young people, it is a dynamic, multifaceted initiative consisting of innovative classroom learning methods and this extraordinary annual competition event. Each student will have learned 64 pieces of classical music by the time they leave the 6 th grade.
Photos of the competition are available ( marketing@orchestranova.org ).
