Jun 27 2008
I’m posting this fun short video on behalf of my colleague Todd Gowers who will be running The 14th Annual Hammond Ashley Memorial Double Bass Workshop, June 25-29 on the Seattle Pacific University Campus. This is one of the largest bass camps in America. You can hear Todd describe what he considers a “bass geek” and see some students and faculty from the workshop at this link.
May 17 2008
It’s not unusual for our local paper to highlight our exceptional high school jazz programs here in Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area. What is unusual and refreshing is The Seattle Times’ story of an outstanding group of jazz educators with connections to a genealogy of excellence and long term commitment.
It begins with the story of two brothers and their music education journey from high school into college. Both are now established band directors in the area and for the first time they will be competing against each other at Essentially Ellington with their respective bands, along with an unprecedented five bands from the Seattle region.
Along with three others from the Puget Sound area, their bands are among 15 in the U.S. and Canada to make the Essentially Ellington finals. No region has ever sent five bands to Ellington before.
You can hear some sample mp3’s of each of the five bands from our region below:
Garfield High School (Seattle):
Director — Clarence Acox, nine Essentially Ellington finals; first place in 2003, 2004.
Garfield High School plays “Daydream”
Mountlake Terrace:
Director — Darin Faul, four-time finalist.
Mountlake Terrace High plays “Hoping for the Day”
Roosevelt (Seattle):
Director — Scott Brown, nine-time finalist; first place in 2002, 2007.
Roosevelt High School plays “War”
Shorewood (Shoreline):
Director — Paul Harshman, five-time finalist (one trip was with Kentridge).
Shorewood High School plays “Lickety Split”
South Whidbey (Langley, Whidbey Island):
Director — Chris Harshman, first trip to Ellington.
South Whidbey High School plays “Art of Darkness”
Feb 26 2008
The Northwest Council for Computer Education is hosting their 2008 conference in our fair city of Seattle starting today.
Distinguished ed-tech blogger and fellow Seattle Public School teacher *Mark Ahlness and I are hosting a meet-up Thursday night after the NCCE workshops from 8:30 p.m. until ? at The Palomino Bistro in downtown Seattle on 5th ave. between Pike and Union, a short walk from the WA State Convention Center. Join us for some downtime and great conversation. See the link below for a map to the restaurant:
*Mark will be presenting at NCCE on Thursday and is doing some incredible things with his students and blogging. Check out his blog and his latests posts on using XO laptops with his students.
