JUST FOR YOU MUSIC PROGRAM INREACH CONCERT

Melody and Accompaniment was the theme of yesterday's JUMP! (Just for yoU Music Program) on November 4, 2004 at the Shepherd School of Music. Sonja Thoms, student coordinator, led Shepherd School wind students in performances for 5th graders from Collins Elementary School ( Alief Independent School District).

Oboist Sonja Thoms introduced the program theme with a duet by Barrett. She was joined by bassist Peter Seymour.

The colorful program featured music for wind instruments. Mozart's Serenade for Winds K. 388 was performed by oboists Sonja Thoms and Annie Henneke, clarinetists Maiko Saski and Phillip Broderick, bassoonists Ryan Craypo and Fei Xie, and hornists Margaret Tung and Jonas Vandyke. Oboist Jaren Philleo introduced Mladi (Youth) by Czech composer Leoš Janáček. This energetic piece was played by a wind sextet that included Jaren (oboe) and Ashleigh Leas (flute), Sergei Vassiliev (clarinet), Louis De Martino (bass clarinet), Abigail Jones (bassoon) and Brandon Beck (horn).

Janet Rarick, an artist teacher in wind ensembles, is one of the Shepherd School faculty members who help oversee this outreach program. She explains that the program grew out of a discussion by the wind chamber ensemble in fall 1998. Several students suggested using outreach as a way to increase performance opportunities and potentially increase audience size at regularly scheduled wind chamber music concerts. Leone Buyse, professor of flute and chamber music, subsequently created an independent study program for students who wished to connect with the Houston community by coordinating outreach concerts. Her husband, Michael Webster, an associate professor of clarinet and ensembles, also plays an active role in overseeing and encouraging outreach participation.

Rarick observes that a major benefit of the program is the great satisfaction that comes from reaching out to others. "We have found that our concerts are a great way to get children exposed to a college campus at an early age. Who knows what dreams may come from these experiences? If even one or two children can be inspired to go to college, it will be worth it."