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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017
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TEACHERS
IN THE BAND
Erick Bengel | Weekend Editor
ebengel@dailyastorian.com
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DailyAstorian
LOVE OF MUSIC DRAWS TEACHERS
TOGETHER AFTER SCHOOL HOURS
enced me to become a music teacher.”
Lake’s teenage son Christopher was
also added to the group, on trumpet,
after his mom joined.
By DAMIAN MULINIX
For EO Media Group
L
ONG BEACH, Wash. — For
many music teachers, the music
doesn’t stop when the bell rings.
For some, it’s only just the beginning.
Three local school music teachers, and
another who is retired, have been moon-
lighting in area jazz and symphonic bands.
“There is definitely camaraderie
among most musicians, and a similar
camaraderie amongst teachers,” Brian
Bergman, a Long Beach School music
teacher, said recently. “Often, music
teachers have an even stronger sense
of support and understanding for each
other.”
Bergman, Ilwaco High’s Rachel
Lake, Ocean Park School’s Brian Vessey
and retired teacher Bob Walters have all
gravitated toward the North Coast Big
Band and North Coast Symphonic Band
— both led by longtime band leader Lee
Stromquist. The big band also features a
number of music teachers from Clatsop
County schools.
We’re with the band
Aside from Walters, who has played
bass in the big band for three years, the
other three teachers are fairly new to
the group, joining after spots opened up
recently.
“I perform with the group because I
like the style of music, and in order to
contribute to (its) success,” said Berg-
man, who considers himself a “low
brass specialist.” He plays euphonium,
tuba and trombone, the instrument he
plays in the big band. His wife, Jenny,
also plays piano in the group.
Lake came to the band by way of a
former Dixieland group, another Strom-
quist band that she played in after mov-
ing to the area some 10 years ago.
“I had put a bug in his ear years ago
about, if he ever had a spot open in the
big band, I’d love to play saxophone,”
said Lake, who plays baritone saxo-
phone in the group, an instrument she
has played since college.
“I love honking on that thing,” she
said.
Stromquist had also been on the
lookout for trumpet players, which led
to Lake introducing him to Vessey.
“I really enjoy performing music with
others,” Vessey said. “It is what influ-
Teachers teaching teachers
Photos by DAMIAN MULINIX/
For EO Media Group
ABOVE: Ilwaco High School music
teacher Rachel Lake performs with
the North Coast Big Band at a recent
show at the Chinook Event Center.
Lake recently joined the group as a
way to “Get more involved musically,
to enrich myself.” TOP: Long Beach
School music teacher Brian Berg-
man plays trombone with the North
Coast Big Band at a recent show in
Chinook. Bergman also plays with
the North Coast Symphonic Band.
‘Often, music
teachers
have an even
stronger sense
of support and
understanding
for each other.’
Brian Bergman
Long Beach School music teacher
Lake said it was a professional goal
of hers this year to “get more involved
musically to enrich myself.”
“That way I could get more in touch
with what the students are doing,” she
explained. “Instead of just talking about
it, I’m also participating in it. I make
time for it to make myself professionally
better as a musician and teacher.”
Lake said there is a camaraderie
among the teachers in the bands that
produces new ideas and styles that she
in turn takes to her students.
“It’s a hands-on learning environ-
ment instead of a text book,” she said.
Bergman agreed: “We share a com-
mon language and understanding based
on the experiences we share. As a music
teacher, playing in a group can help us
remember what it’s like to be directed in
a large ensemble. It also helps us grow
as people and musicians.”
According to Walters, it’s not terri-
bly surprising for like-minded teachers
to collaborate in this way.
“Many music teachers consider them-
selves musicians, in addition to what we
do in the classroom, and keep an eye out
for other opportunities,” he said.
Walters, who has played in a num-
ber of bands during his 19 years with
the Ocean Beach School District, also
played French horn in the Oregon Army
National Guard band for 15 years.
Vessey, who played in a pair of jazz
bands after college, said he likes that
there are opportunities for the teach-
ers in the group to conduct the band at
times.
“We can see different techniques that
we can translate to our own groups,” he
said. “Plus, music teachers tend to be
pretty awesome people.”
Scheduling can sometimes be a chal-
lenge, but it’s worth it, Vessey added.
“At times it can be difficult,” he said.
“I am currently in three different groups,
and it always gets crazy around the
holidays.”
But Walters said he’d rather be doing
nothing else. “I’m a musician, that’s the
long and short of it. That’s just part of
what we do.”