Eugene weekly., December 31, 2014, Image 9

We dream of a Eugene which fully supports these
important programs for students!
What do you dream
of for Eugene’s
music scene?
Colt Gill
Superintendent, Bethel School District
I would like to offer today’s students the experiences and
opportunities I enjoyed in Oregon’s public schools in the
’70s and ’80s. I believe that if Eugeneans and Oregonians
really understood that we are not supporting our children
the way we were supported by our elders (voters and
taxpayers) back then, they would come to the rescue so we
could accomplish these four critical fixes to our schools:
1. Improve class size. We have the second highest class
sizes in the country.
2. Increase instructional time. We [in Oregon] have one
of the shortest school years in the country.
3. Meet rigorous standards in reading, writing and math
but also provide a rounded education in the arts, music,
humanities, financial literacy, social sciences, technology
and career pathways.
4. Provide equity in access and support, meaning all
students have access to all the programs schools have to
offer, and some students are provided with the additional
time and support they need to be successful.
niche and reaching audiences thirsty for the experience of
listening to jazz in its many forms in an intimate concert
environment. The venue has also created a gallery space
for local visual artists, using its walls to celebrate paintings,
drawings, photography and other artistic creations.
Let’s create those kinds of spaces for the multitude
of other music styles represented by our city’s eclectic
musical community and watch how Eugene blossoms even
more into the performing arts destination that we all know
it can (and should) be!
On a more whimsical note, I would love to see some
“public pianos” placed in some of our outdoor public
spaces. I’ll admit, it’s not an idea that I can claim as my own
(I first saw this concept realized in Seattle this summer, and
enjoyed a few blissful moments of playing a beautifully
painted piano on the ferry docks beneath the full moon),
but it is one that I think could be so fitting for this arts-
loving community, and would create more opportunities
for “random acts of music” around our fair city.
Pius Cheung
Marimba artist, composer, UO associate professor of
percussion
I wish there was a bar or restaurant downtown that
presents classical and experimental contemporary music
concerts, much like Le Poisson Rouge in New York. The
impressions and current etiquettes of going to “classical”
music concerts are too stuffy. Why can’t we enjoy a nice
beverage and food while we enjoy some Mozart or Steve
Reich? Given some pieces might not work as well in this
setting, with careful programming, this would be a great
way to expose people to art music in a relaxed environment
where they can really enjoy the music rather than wonder,
“Am I supposed to clap now?”
As a percussionist, I dream of a city block where
things are made primarily with percussion instruments —
marimba bars as floor tiles, timpanis as chairs and trash
cans as, well, trash cans, because I enjoy playing on trash
cans quite a bit.
Danail Rachev
Music director and conductor, Eugene Symphony
I believe that music heals and enriches the human soul,
and I dream that our music will truly reach and engage
people of every age throughout our wonderful city.
In my youth, I attended a school concert in Bulgaria and
immediately fell in love with classical music. I’m proud that
we continue to involve more schools in our youth concerts at
the Hult Center, but I dream that absolutely every child — no
matter what school they attend — can see a concert. Exposure
in childhood can spark a lifelong passion for music.
I also dream of performing in nursing homes, hospitals
or prisons for people who otherwise don’t have the
opportunity to listen to music, for whom music could be a
powerful remedy. We would also welcome the opportunity
to play in unexpected places like gastropubs, wineries and
civic spaces — meeting people where they are to ignite
their passion for music in new ways.
Jim Torrey
Chair, Eugene 4J School Board
In building a child’s educational foundation, the ability
to read is the single most important element. The quote
I’ve heard most often is, “A student learns to read from K\
kindergarten through third grade and reads to learn from
that point on.” I would advocate for dedicated funding, by
the Oregon Legislature, for early literacy. The Eugene 4J
School District needs to put additional resources and staff
support into our early reading efforts.
Eugene Education Foundation
Board of Directors
Each school year, Eugene Education Foundation receives
grant proposals from 4J educators for the enrichment of
students. Requests this year reach almost $300,000. So far,
EEF gifts can fund $100,000. Our dream of community
support for public education would be that, for the very first
time, every request could be funded so no grant is left behind.
Grants give books to eager readers, transport homeless
students to school daily, provide refurbished musical
instruments to young musicians and bring artists in
residence to schools to ignite creativity.
Halie Loren
Singer and songwriter
One of my biggest dreams for this community is for
there to be more outlets for Eugene’s vast community of
musicians, singers, songwriters and music fans to be able to
experience the true “listening room” environment in which
to create or absorb live music.
Eugene, like most cities around the country, has seen a
lot of music venues fold up in the past decade and hasn’t yet
witnessed an equal number of new spaces emerge in that
same time period. … I would love to see this trend change
drastically, and I know I am far from alone in this desire.
It has been amazing to watch local music club (and true
“listening room” space) The Jazz Station grow and become
such a celebrated member of our music scene, finding its
Landon Wordswell
Hip-hop artist
I hope to see different cultures celebrated in Eugene more
often and taken more seriously. A child with a great sense of
eugeneweekly.com • December 31, 2014
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