February 4, 2020

Jr/Sr High School band teacher, Mr. Joseph Ostrand finds, “that when our students are encouraged and invited to new levels of musicality they can foster their excitement and talents. All-State is a great opportunity for our students to see what is out there and to experience the power of music.” 

Senior Caleb Orella joined about 150 high school students from across the State of Oregon in the 2020 All-State Symphonic Band.  The students were privileged to work with and perform pieces by composer and conductor Aaron Perrine. As a percussionist Orella played more than 3 instruments during the conference – the snare drum, the triangle and crystal glasses.  He learned to tune the glasses to a particular note, explaining that the less water in a glass, the higher the note. The particular note is achieved by rubbing the rim of the glass. Two students played four crystal glasses during their performance of “Only Light” composed by Perrine.  Orella describes this piece as giving him goose bumps, when the instruments surged in volume only to diminish quietly, leaving only the crystal glasses to reflect the intensity of the moment in the melody.  The conference culminated in a performance by the Symphonic Band on Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Eugene, Oregon. To have this prestigious opportunity, Orella had to send in audition recordings of two percussive instruments performing three musical exercises.  He chose the snare drum and timpani.  This wasn’t Orella’s first time attending All-State.  He was able to participate two years ago as a sophomore.  “It was the best musical experience I’d had, and I wanted to do it again before I graduated,” explains Orella. 

Orella’s desire and interest in percussion began in elementary school.  He attended Portland Christian Elmentary School through 3rd grade.  Every year, the school hosts an Ice Cream Social before the first day of school so that families may gather together informally and get classroom and teacher assignments.  During one particular year, the PCS High School band performed at the Ice Cream Social. Orella recalls, “the drummer looked like he was having a good time. That was when I got interested in percussion.” Although Orella left PCS in 4th grade, he had the opportunity to join 5th grade percussion at his new school, instead of just “hitting tables.”  When he returned to PCS as a sophomore, Orella joined the band and PCS has never been the same!  He and some other musical schoolmates began a band called “redline;”  They write their own lyrics and music and plan on recording an album once they have enough songs. It’s telling that Orella knows that he will “always do music even if [I] don’t do it professionally . . . [I] can’t imagine never playing drums.” He plans on attending Grand Canyon University, Arizona, majoring in political science with an emphasis on legal studies, and hopes to double minor in psychology and music.  Because of the Advanced Placement classes offered by PCS and the dual credit enrollment with Warner, Orella hopes to enroll at GCU with both these major and minor fields!   And he shares, “PCS has been life changing for me. I’m not the same person as when I came back to PCS. Now, I’m in a good place in my faith with hopes for a positive looking future.”

His band teacher, Mr. Ostrand describes Orella as having “shown growth in his confidence and leadership over the last two years as a student musician. Despite being an already busy senior, he is allowing himself to try new things and is involved and present in many different realms here at PCS – participating in drama, the chapel praise team, Student Council (StuCo) and being a teacher’s assistant.”

Trumpet player, Emma Ortman, a 7th grader, participated in the OMEA All-State Middle School Band conference the same week. As one of the younger performers, Ortman didn’t know any of the other attendees.  However, she met many other students (mainly 8th graders), who she found take music seriously. For her, the conference gave her the chance to perform with about 150 students who love music as much as she does. “It was a cool experience to have so many players on stage!”

She had five pieces to learn and her skill in sight reading held her in good stead. Her favorite piece they performed was “Reflections on the Missouri River” by Rob Grice.  “You hear everything – the harmony – of all the instruments – sitting in the middle of it all.  It was a magical experience!” expressed Ortman as she shared her delight in having Grice as the director and conductor.  The Middle School Band performed at the conclusion of their two-day conference on Friday, at the First Baptist Church in Eugene, Oregon.   Since the age of two, Ortman has always played an instrument. She started with the piano, and has since moved on to flute, trombone, violin and is in her second year of playing the trumpet.  She admits she hasn’t mastered all these instruments yet, but continues to teach herself the trombone and violin.  Her dream is to be a composer.  Although she sings a lot, instruments, as a way of expression, feel more natural. 

The PCS Junior High band class is small but mighty!  It’s the teacher who brings out each student’s ability.  Ortman reflects on her band teacher, Mr. Ostrand, “He’s an amazing teacher. He’s taught me so much – I’m glad he’s my teacher!” In turn, Ostrand describes Ortman as “full of amazing surprises, gifts and talents. She makes music with any instrument she picks up.  She is full of energy and shows excitement in everything she’s involved in.”

This seventh grader also discovered ping pong the last year.  You’ll find her every day after school in the Recreation Room playing a casual, but competitive game with her fellow school mates.                                       

Remember Emma Ortman’s name - we’re sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future!

By Grace Dugger