August 3, 2007

Kiwanis holds 4th annual music camp

Each year growing more successful

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Just over four years ago, the Kiwanis Club of Cambrian Park got the idea to hold a music camp. It turned out to be quite successful, drawing in 36 campers. But its reputation has grown along with its age and this year about 70 campers took spaces at the two-week camp and apparently enjoyed every minute of it.

Peggy Spool, with her back to the audience, directs the Kiwanis Music Camp choir at the final concert on July 27. Assistants Leah Ginsky, far left, and Emily Stuart, far right, help Spool direct the choir. Photos by Doug Perry

The camp accepts young people entering third through ninth grades, both skilled and unskilled, with Kiwanis members offering nine scholarships to children in the community. That too has grown from last year’s seven scholarships. Next year the camp hopes that corporate sponsors may help out with scholarships.

“This was a very good year and very successful,” said Kristen Engineer, camp director, who teaches at Carlton Elementary School and at the Village Music School in Campbell. This year the camp was held at Branham High School, and the club hopes the Campbell Union High School District will allow the Kiwanis Club to hold next year’s camp there too.

Among those receiving scholarships were two very talented brothers. One taught himself to play the flute. He also played in the intermediate band. His brother, who wanted to play the alto saxophone, received an instrument and took off. He also played in the intermediate band, said Engineer.

“Both of those examples are exciting to me,” said Engineer who said she saw their talent broaden along with their happiness.

Kiwanis officials expressed their excitement and enthusiasm for the job Engineer has done by awarding her the group’s Distinguished Service Award. Division 12 Lt. Gov. Steve Ricossa and Cambrian Park Vice President Val Cordingly presented the award to her after the concert on Friday, July 17. “She has the expertise and knowledge of music to make this camp successful,” said Ricossa in presenting the award.

In return, Engineer thanked the club for helping make this year’s camp a success and asked them to think about making the fifth year successful and a “celebratory event.”

“I really felt like this year went so smoothly! I know it is because we have such a talented, dedicated team with strong support from the music committee at Kiwanis as well as all the members that have supported this event! While I received a Distinguished Service Award from Kiwanis that I am very thankful and grateful for, but we have all shared in making this camp a success,” she said.

Teachers
Engineer must be doing something right because not only are campers returning, but the teachers and assistants are having such a good time, they keep coming back too and apparently are planning to return next year.

Seven teachers returned this year, including Engineer, who teaches beginning to advanced recorder as well as master classes in brass instruments for the older campers.

She is joined by Eric Bolzin, who is a professional musician with his own band who teaches at Music Village. Bolzin has produced CDs and performed. He teaches advanced and jazz band as well as composition and a brass master class.

Chris Kay teaches at Union Middle School. For the camp he teaches intermediate band, second instrument instruction, marching band and assists in the master classes teaching woodwinds.

Roberta Howe teaches elementary school band at Noddin and Carlton Schools. She taught beginning band and second instrument instruction at the camp and also taught master classes in woodwinds. Peggy Spool is director of the Vivace Children’s Choir in San Jose. She teaches choir and vocal master classes at camp.

Neil Hogan teaches guitar along with Ajay Koleth. When he’s not working at camp, Hogan is a private instruction and a performing musician with Lucid Dreams, a heavy metal band. He also owns Joplin & Sweeney, a music store in Los Gatos. Dave Gary teaches the percussion ensemble at the camp. He is also a teacher at Village Music and has a band called Security.

Assistants
A number of area high school students help out at camp too, most returning as assistants and some as assistants who also were former campers.

Nick Hoppins, Emily Stuart, Leah Ginsky, Katelyn Freund, Michael Chaffin, Coree Hogan, Daniel Stromfeld and Devin Hinvo were the high school assistants. And, Sandra Laverty returned from college to help out as an assistant.

Older students make music while working with trumpets and trombones in the brass master class at Kiwanis Music Camp. From left are Michael Sanders, who will enter seventh grade at Union Middle School this fall; David Godfrey who is entering seventh grade but goes to Sierra School; Carina Anderson who will enter eighth grade at Union and Noah Ginsky, entering seventh at the same school

The camp offers one two-week session, this year from July 16-27, with students entering the third through ninth grades invited to the morning session from 9 a.m. to noon and those entering seventh to ninth for the two-hour extended session from noon to 2 p.m.

Morning session classes include beginning through advanced marching and jazz bands, beginning through advanced recorder and guitar, percussion ensemble, second instrument instruction and choir. The extended session includes a vocal master class, music composition and instrumental master classes in brass and woodwinds.

This year’s camp ended with two concerts. The first was held on Thursday, July 26 from 12:45 to 1:30 and featured the older campers from the masters and composition classes. The second was held at 10:30 on Friday, July 27 and featured all the other classes including beginning through advanced marching and jazz band, recorder and guitar, as well as choir, percussion ensemble and second instruments.

Both concerts were well attended by parents, family, friends and Kiwanis Club members.