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Peninsula music directors report state qualifiers, festival awards and out-of-state trips
Summary
Band directors from Peninsula High and Gig Harbor High told the board their programs produced state qualifiers across many categories, received top festival ratings, and plan a competitive trip to California; directors highlighted strong K–12 alignment and community support.
Megan Hellborn (Peninsula High School band director) and Eric Swanson (Gig Harbor High School band director) presented a report on the district’s music programs at the April 1 meeting.
Presenters highlighted achievements from solo-ensemble competitions and group festivals: combined entries from the two high schools qualified for state in roughly 18 of 24 categories entered across solo and ensemble work. Both programs received superior ratings at recent jazz and ensemble festivals, and students performed the national anthem at a Rainiers game. Directors described a K–12 alignment that begins in elementary music classes and continues through middle and high school programs.
Student speakers detailed individual qualifications — for example, a Gig Harbor clarinet soloist and several ensembles advancing to state — and staff noted that many students participate in multiple ensembles, musicals and pit orchestras while also competing in solo/ensemble contests.
Directors said both bands will travel to competitive events in Southern California (Anaheim/Los Angeles area) for a festival that includes educational sessions with industry-style recording and sight-reading experiences. They also noted grant awards supporting CTE and expanded health science programming that have provided additional resources to high school programs. Board members and the superintendent praised teachers, students and parents for strong community support of music programming; they also remarked that performance facilities are dated and that better spaces would better showcase student work.
No board action was required; the board commended the program and invited future in-meeting performances.
