The Santa Maria High School concert band and jazz ensembles keep dozens of students involved in music on a daily basis. The program has grown much and earned many accolades since band director Ulises Valdivia began teaching the class—and mobilizing his students to support it.
An upcoming spring concert and silent auction benefit is the sixth annual event of its kind, which is designed to raise funds for the instrumental music ensembles at the high school.
“All the proceeds benefit the band program [so students are] able to go to another band festival, repair instruments, buy music, bring professional musicians in to do workshops, so this money really helps out the following year with the kids,”
Valdivia said.
It’s not just the students of the band programs who get active in the fundraising, but their parents as well. A tamale dinner is scheduled for the hour before the concert in an effort to raise as much money as possible, Valdivia explained.
“The parents have worked really hard to help this. This is the first time we have done a tamale sale,” he said. “The arts are pretty low-funded because the important stuff is always the academics, so we have to work hard to raise the money so we can continue what we are doing ever year.”
Valdivia keeps his students busy from the beginning of the school year to the end. He asserts that music is a vital subject in school because it teaches abilities that might not be focused on in academic departments.
“[The parents] believe in the program that I run here,” Valdivia said. “It teaches the skills that I feel are so important … responsibility, respect, putting in effort, dedication—these are skills that they will need when they grow up.”
Music also offers students an outlet for creative expression. The jazz ensemble students learn plenty of theory and technical abilities, but they’re also allowed to improvise solos, a technique not used in traditional concert music.
“The great thing about jazz is it gives them the freedom to express themselves,” Valdivia said. “It’s much easier for them to express themselves musically than verbally, so that is why jazz is so important: They can put their true emotions into their instruments.”
He explained that the parents are so supportive because they see how it affects their kids. Now Valdivia is asking for their aid as advocates. The upcoming local control and accountability plan requires local school districts to engage parents about programs they deem important in terms of budget allocation.
“We are trying to do our fundraising, but hopefully we could get some of that local control funding,” Valdivia said. “Every music teacher knows about this, and they are really trying to push it.”
Valdivia hopes that not just the parents of his students but also concerned members of the community will add their voices to the call for music funding.
“There’s no multiple choice in music, you either know how to play or you don’t, and if you can’t you have to know why you can’t,” he said. “That is the importance of music education in our schools and why it should be funded as equally as math, history, science—it’s cross-curricular, is my point.”
Feel the ‘Thunder’
The Chumash Casino Resort presents Thunder From Down Under on May 1 at 8 p.m. at the Chumash Casino Resort, 2400 E. Highway 246, Santa Ynez. Cost is $20. More info: 1-800-CHUMASH or chumashcasino.com.
Music that Pops
The Lompoc Pops Orchestra presents its spring concert, “Love Is In the Air,” featuring 45 Central Coast musicians performing April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 925 North F St., Lompoc. Cost is $15, $5 for students. More info: 735-6463.
Enjoy the rays
Standing Sun Winery features the Standing Sun Concert Series, including The Howlin’ Brothers on April 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Standing Sun Wines, 92 2nd St., Buellton. More info: 904-8072 or standingsunwines.com
Get in the groove
The Radisson Hotel offers live music Fridays and Saturdays, including Storm performing April 25 and 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria. More info: 928-8000.
Fresh squeezed music
The D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro features karaoke live on April 24; St. Anne’s Place is April 26; audition night is April 29; and Dan Mally performs on April 30, with all shows starting at 7:30 p.m. at the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro, 107 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. More info: 430-8356 or facebook.com.
In the flow
Creative Juices Lounge presents live music including the Crisptones live on April 26 performing from 7 to 10 p.m. at the lounge, 874 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. More info: 219-0518 or creativejuiceslounge.com.
Get to Grevino
Ca’ Del Grevino Café and Wine Bar features live music in the tasting room and café on Wednesdays, including Nataly Lola on April 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ca’ Del Grevino Café and Wine Bar is located at 400 E. Clark Ave., Suite A, Orcutt. More info: 937-6400, dcp@grevino.com, or grevino.com.
Maverick jams
The Maverick Saloon offers live weekly entertainment including a “DJ Rock Party” on April 25 at 9 p.m “Concert on the Deck” featuring The Agin Brothers Band is April 26 at 3 p.m. The Hollywood Hillbilllies perform on April 26 at 8 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Suds, Song, and Sandwiches” will feature Jerry Stickell live on April 27 at 3 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 24 – May 1, 2014.