Students from both CHS, CVHS win big

Crescent Valley High School senior Laura Beaudry, 18, knew the school's concert choir had given an outstanding performance at the state contest held recently at George Fox University in Newberg. She was on her way back to Corvallis to perform in a musical when a text message announced the good news: the choir won the state title for 5A schools.

"It threw me all out of proportion," Beaudry said. "It was great."

Beaudry got a second chance to celebrate with her fellow musicians a week later when the school's wind ensemble also won a 5A title in competition at Oregon State University's LaSells Stewart Center.

Not to be outdone, the Corvallis Camerata String Orchestra - comprised of both Crescent Valley and Corvallis High students - tied for first place in its division, which includes schools of all enrollment sizes.

Thursday, the talented musicians were recognized at an all-school assembly and showed their cheering classmates why they brought home three first-place trophies.

"It's a great day to be a Raider," Principal Cherie Stroud said as she led students and staff in a cheer. "These trophies indicate the excellence and pride we all have in Crescent Valley High School."

Third-year teacher Emily Thielen directs the concert choir.

"My philosophy of music education is to allow all students an opportunity to aesthetically experience and comprehend music so that they may become independent members of society who respect and support music in their lives," she said.

In addition to Beaudry, other students who earned championships as both choir and wind ensemble members were Pavan Vasdev, Eric Delander, Weiyi Li, Jimmy Weber, Julia Semprini, Matt Smouse, Ben Rugebregt and Garrett Egan.

Choir member Caitlin Gunn, 17, said some judges had discouraged the singers from attempting to perform such demanding musical pieces. That made the win even sweeter.

"It was exhilarating," Gunn said.

Kristine Janes has guided the school's wind ensemble for five years and is a 20-year teaching veteran. The wind ensemble is the top level in the band program, Janes said. Acceptance is by audition.

"This is a great group of kids who really worked hard as a team," Janes said. "It's a great bonding group."

"It was very magical," Janes said of the ensemble's state championship performance. "We became one on stage. We had talked about having our souls come together. It was just a blur on stage."

Janes said when making her music selections, she looks for a wide range of works so every member of the ensemble "gets a chance to shine."

Charles Creighton has directed the Camerata String Orchestra for 26 years and said this year's musicians really wanted to bring home a first-place trophy. ("Camerata" is an Italian word for a gathering for music, literature and science.) The group has placed second several times and first three times, the last honor coming 12 years ago.

The orchestra competes against all comers, including 6A schools with enrollments of more than 2,000 students, Creighton said.

"The administration at this school is extremely supportive of the program," Creighton said. "Our principal comes to all music concerts and often sends the students a plate of cookies as a thank you. She even traveled to a festival in Spokane with us."

Partnerships with the Corvallis Youth Symphony and Chamber Music Corvallis are vital to the program, Creighton said.

Crescent Valley Concert Choir: Director Emily Thielen; Nat Adams, Laura Beaudry, Connor Bildfell, Erin Bontrager, John Buchanan, Tim Buchanan, Nicole Buck, Kelsey Burkum, Alyssa Clark, Lacey Cochran, Aly Croney, Sammy Day, Eric Delander, Brydgette Dye, Noelle Dykes, Garret Egan, Robert Forkner, Bailey Forrest, Daniel Fridley, Caitlin Gunn, Kenzie Hruby, Sarah Irvine, Ahzha Johnson, Andrew Kent, Laura Killip, Kelsey Kindsvogel, Nathan Klammer, Heather Koenig, Hannah Langley, Weiyi Li, Kari Lysne, Rachel Mast, David Ni, Kevin Oyster, Gloria Parks, Ben Rugebregt, Johanna Sagmeister, Sarah Satak, Julia Semprini, Brittany Shreeve, Allie Smouse, Matt Smouse, Kim Snider, Joey Sudyka, Ali Ulstad, Pavan Vasdev, Jimmy Weber, Shiloh Wheeler and Talen White.

5A Division: Crescent Valley High School, 324; Cleveland High School (Portland), 317; Hillsboro High, 307; Klamath Union, 305; Wilsonville High, 297.

Crescent Valley Wind Ensemble: Director Kristine Janes; Rachel Adamski, Todd Anderson, Travis Bazanele, Laura Beaudry, Shana Blumenthal, A.J. Bogdanovic, Garrison Egan, Harrison Fontaine, Stephanie Friedt, Molly Gard, Abby Gregory, Alison Herlihy, Andrea Higdon, Michael Kang, Rachel Kelly, Jessica Kim, Robin Kimura, Jenny Koch, Weiyi Li, Mark Loika, Stephan Marshall, Gavin Milligan, Bond Minard, Chad Newbry, Joe Newbry, Greg Nicol, Nikki Peters, Drew Peterson, Cara Pfund, Brandon Poole, Brian Qian, Justin Rose, Ben Rugebregt, Julia Semprini, Aaron Smith, Hannah Smith, Matt Smouse, Lisa Thompson, Beth Turner, Pavan Vasdev, Nick Vincent-Hill, Payden Waldo, David Ward, Jimmy Weber, Chase Whitted, Hannah Williams and Tony Wu.

5A Division: Crescent Valley High School, 313; Summit High (Bend), 300; West Albany, 284; Corvallis High School, 280; Glencoe High School (Hillsboro), 270.

Crescent Valley/CHS Camerata String Orchestra: Director Charles Creighton; Angela Ahn, Hazel Betz, Bryce Caster, Monica Down, Carmella Dunn-Hartman, Breanna Fraser-Hevlin, Melodie Hinojoza, Alex Humphrey, Julia Kosanovic, Brian Lach, Rebecca Lomnicky, Samantha Lui, Charlie Nairn, John Ortiz, Erin Ortiz, Claire Park, Michael Perlin, Kayla Reiman, Chris Rorrier, Julie Rorrer, Amanda Schupp, Michael Sheng, Maria Shim, Nina Sobotka, Caitlin Stow, Akshay Subramanian, Kelsey Ward, Hannah Westly, Tyler Wilson, Evan Wu, Anne Wynn, Margaret Yeh, Tae-Han Yeo and Patrick Yun.

String Orchestra Division: Crescent Valley, 320; Sprague High, 320; Reynolds High (Troutdale), 315; South Salem, 291; Lake Oswego, 269.

Alex Paul can be contacted at alex.paul@lee.net or by calling 758-9526.