On a recent evening, I had the privilege of attending the Instrumental Awards Concert at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland, where my grandson is a student musician. Jason Owens, Franklin’s band director, prepared and led the concert and symphonic bands, the wind ensemble, the percussion ensemble, the jazz band, the clarinet and saxophone ensembles and the marching band, all in full regalia for their upcoming performance in the Grand Floral Parade.
The music Mr. Owens selected for the students to play was interesting and fun to listen to. Each group was well-prepared and played musically, with enthusiasm. Students were awarded not only for their musicianship, but also for how they contributed to the band program as a whole. One could say that Mr. Owens is teaching citizenship and the value of community while using music as a vehicle.
We have been overwhelmed recently by stories of shootings in schools. My takeaway from the awards concert is that a young person who has an instrument to play, and a teacher who encourages them to achieve their best and sees them as individuals, will have little need to buy guns and shoot small children. It may not be quite that simple, but then again, perhaps it is.
Norma Dody, Portland