May 12, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Thomas “Allen” Barber, who has quadrupled student involvement in music ensembles at South Medford High School in three years as Director of Bands, will be awarded the Oregon Symphony’s annual Patty Vemer Music Educator of the Year Award on Friday, May 26, during the Symphony’s Side-by-Side Concert with the Portland Youth Philharmonic. The concert, a by-invitation-only event to thank Symphony donors and music educators from across the state, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
The Patty Vemer Music Educator of the Year Award 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 and colleagues, said Symphony Director of Education and Community Engagement Emilia Smith.
“Allen Barber’s commitment to a complete education in the arts is remarkable,” said Smith.
Music Director Carlos Kalmar will bring Barber onstage at the concert and present him with a certificate and a check for $1,000 to be used for music education in his community at his discretion.
Over the past three years, Barber has increased enrollment in South Medford High’s many ensembles from 50 to more than 200 students. He leads eight different ensembles, including the South Medford Wind Ensemble, which has qualified for state finals every year since 2001 and won District Champions in 2005, and the South Medford Jazz Ensemble, which recently took second place at the Reno Jazz Festival and has placed in the top five at every jazz festival in which they have participated. Barber also directs a concert band, woodwind quintet, jazz band, percussion ensemble, marching band and basketball band.
“There are many ‘great’ and ‘outstanding’ teachers, but only a handful who stand out as truly phenomenal—a legend in their time, so to speak. Allen Barber is one of those teachers,” said Tricia Prendergast, a member of the Medford School Board.
Barber also demonstrated his passion for music education in public schools when he brought some of his high school music students to the Oregon School Board Convention and received a standing ovation for his presentation on the importance of keeping music programs intact. “He instilled in me characteristics that still help me in my life today,” said Joanna Schmidt, a graduate of South Medford High’s Class of 2001. “Through music he is able to show students the value of hard work, dedication and pride for a job well done.”
Kalmar will also recognize the award’s three 2006 finalists: Barbara Delegato, an elementary music school specialist at Dilley Elementary and Gales Creek Elementary in Forest Grove; Steven Peter, choral director at Cleveland High School in Portland and Richard Long, an orchestra specialist at Churchill and South Eugene High Schools in Eugene and conductor of the Eugene Youth Symphony.
“Our three finalists clearly represent the heart and soul of committed, inspirational and fun educators who build community in their schools through music,” said Smith. “It is obvious that they are not only helping to shape the lives of young Oregonians, but they are touching the lives of their colleagues and the greater communities in which they live.”
In addition, Kalmar will give special recognition to Lawrence Morrell for a lifelong commitment to music education. Morrell, who is now retired, was a music educator for 65 years. From 1960 to 2002 he worked in various capacities including Director of Bands and Music Supervisor/Performing Arts Center Administrator at David Douglas High School in Portland. Prior to his tenure at David Douglas, Morrell led bands in Battleground, Wash. and directed both bands and choirs at Sandy High School. In addition, Morrell was President of the Oregon Music Educator’s Association, a delegate to the National Conference of Music Educators and served on the Symphony’s Music Education Committee. “Lawrence Morrell is a music educator’s music educator and we are privileged to have the opportunity to honor his unyielding commitment to Oregon’s students,” said Smith.
For the last nine 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. Past honorees include Brian Seed, band director at Summit High School in Bend; Elizabeth Crockett, a music educator from the Willamette Valley; James Howell, a music specialist from La Grande and former president of the Oregon Music Educator’s Association; 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 and Sisters M. John Therese Miller and M. Juliana Monti of Valley Catholic Schools.
The May 26 concert will feature a “side-by-side” performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major, “Titan,” with members of the Portland Youth Phiharmonic with Kalmar conducting. PYP players will also perform with the Symphony on Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture,” to be conducted by PYP Music Director Mei-Ann Chen, while Kalmar and the Symphony open the concert with Fauré’s “Pelléas and Mélisande Suite.”
A pre-concert reception for more than 200 music educators at the Heathman Hotel will feature guest speaker Eloise Damrosch, Executive Director of the Regional Arts and Culture Commission (RACC).
