April 18, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … James Howell, a La Grande, Ore. music specialist and current president of the Oregon Music Educator’s Association will be awarded the sixth annual Patty Vemer Music Education Appreciation Award at the Oregon Symphony Classical concert Monday, April 28, at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Music Director James DePreist will announce the awards from the stage and present Howell with a certificate and a check for $1,000. In addition, a pre-concert reception for more than 150 music educators at the Heathman Hotel will feature guest speaker Sharon Morgan, Executive Director of the Oregon Alliance for Arts Education.
Howell, a Music Specialist for the La Grande School District since 1987, has received numerous honors over the years for inspiring his students. Howell also conducts the Community Concert Band at Eastern Oregon University and plays in the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his long-time devotion to his students and teaching, he has for many years lobbied for music education funding around the state, most recently as president of Oregon Music Educators Association. He has been called a “visionary and proactive leader” and served on the founding board of the Oregon Alliance for Arts Education. He also is a co-founder and Camp Manager of the Brass@Wallowa Lake youth summer camp, which has grown in service from 23 to more than 70 students over its five-year history.
This year marks the first time the Patty Vemer Music Education Appreciation Award has been presented to a music educator from outside the I-5 corridor. “The choice of Howell to receive the award reflects the Symphony’s commitment to music and music education throughout the state,” says Director of Education and Community Programs Michael Kosmala. Howell’s reputation as an exceptional teacher and strong advocate of music education is known throughout Oregon. “In Eastern Oregon he is one of a select group of educators who have kept quality programs going despite budget and program cuts,” says Symphony French Horn Larry Johnson. “We may have it bad, but these people are miracle workers.” Debbie Glaze, past president of the OMEA adds, “He is a tireless proponent for quality music education throughout Oregon.”
In addition to Howell, The Vemer Award Advisory Committee also wishes to recognize the four outstanding finalists for this year’s Vemer award: Charles Creighton, Orchestra Director, Crescent Valley High School, Corvallis; Craig Gibson; Music Specialist, Fernwood Middle School, Portland; Doree Jarboe, Choral Director, Grant High School, Portland and Diane Penny, String and Band Instructor, Joseph Lane Middle School, Roseburg.
The presentation of the Vemer award has become an annual spring Symphony tradition. “We schedule the event at this time of year to say thank you and to show our support to the educators. Given everything that’s going on this year regarding budget cuts and uncertain futures for arts programs in the schools, we want to give educators an evening to relax, enjoy quality music amongst friends and colleagues from around the state,” says Kosmala.
For the last six years, the Oregon Symphony has recognized excellence in music education with the Patty Vemer Music Educator of the Year award, which was established in the name of Vemer, who served as the Symphony's Education Director for more than 13 years before she passed away in 1997. The honor is awarded to individuals who made significant contributions to the field of music education, their community and have served as a source of inspiration to their students. Past honorees include Scot Wavra, music teacher at West Linn Elementary School; David Anderson, music teacher at Sunnyside and Sunrise Middle Schools; Glenn Ludtke, Roosevelt High School music educator; Sisters M. John Therese Miller and M. Juliana Monti of Valley Catholic Schools and the Salem-Keizer School District's Richard Bauer.
The members of the Vemer Award Advisory Committee are Randall Vemer, former Symphony Principal Viola; Glenn Ludtke, K-12 Performing Arts Specialist for the Portland Public Schools; Carla Wilson, Symphony musician; Peggy Swafford, Symphony musician; Leslie Tuomi, Symphony Director of Major Gifts and Foundation Services and Michael Kosmala, Director of Education and Community Programs.