OMEA Documents: Articles & News
OMEA news and featured articles from our home page. To submit an item for this page, send email to [email protected].
2002 OMEA Board Elections
At the January OMEA Conference in Eugene, the following individuals were elected as officers to the OMEA Board. They take their seats on the Board in June.
 Pat Vandehey
First Vice-President/President Elect
Director of Bands at Westview High School in Beaverton, Oregon, Patrick Vandehey received his Bachelors of Art and Bachelors in Music Education from the University of Washington, and a Masters of Teaching Music at Portland State University. Mr. Vandehey is a past president of the Oregon Band Directors Association and has served on the Adjudication Training Board of OBDA. He served for two years as the band liaison to the OSAA.
He is currently serving his second term as Band Rep for the Oregon Music Educators Association. Mr. Vandehey was the national recipient of the ASBDA-Stanbury Award in 1993 and was inducted into the Band World Legion of Honor in 2000 by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Mr. Vandehey was named one of Oregon's top ten Music Educators by the Oregon Music Educators Association in the October 2000 issue of Teaching Music Magazine. Mr. Vandehey began his career at Aloha High School in Beaverton and from 1980 to 1994 built an award winning program in concert, jazz and marching band. Aloha High School Placed in the top three at the Oregon State Band Championship from 1990 to 1994 placing 1st in 1993. Since Westview High School opened in 1994, all bands have consistently received superior ratings and have qualified and competed each year in the Oregon State Band Championships. The Westview Symphonic Band has placed in the top three in State the last four years and placed 1st in 2000 and again in 2001. In addition to his duties as Director of Bands at Westview, Mr. Vandehey is also Director of Choral and Instrumental Music at Village Baptist Church in Beaverton. Patrick is 48 years old and married to Kristin, his wife of 25 years. They have two daughters, Sarah 20 and Jacquelyn 18.
Back to top
 Michael Burch-Pesses
Second Vice-President
Michael Burch-Pesses is Director of Bands at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Jazz Choir, and teaches courses in conducting, music education, and MIDI technology. He holds Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in conducting from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music of the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and is an internationally known adjudicator and clinician.
Dr. Burch-Pesses enjoyed a distinguished career as a bandmaster in the United States Navy before arriving at Pacific University, enlisting as a hornist and working his way up through the ranks to become the Navy's senior bandmaster and Head of the Navy Music Program. During his Navy career he served as Leader of the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland. Under his direction the Naval Academy Band received the George Howard Citation of Musical Excellence from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the highest civilian award for a military band. He also served as Assistant Leader of the Navy Band in Washington, DC, and Director of the Commodores, the Navy's official jazz ensemble. "I have served on the OMEA Board for the past five years as your College Chair, and would be honored to continue my service in this new area of responsibility."
Back to top
 Toni Skelton
General Music Chair
Toni Skelton graduated from Humboldt State University in northern California with a bachelor's degree in music education. After an eyeopening first year of teaching in a rural school in southern Oregon she moved to the mid- Willamette Valley, where she has lived and taught since 1980. Her career includes 5 years as a middle school band director/general music teacher for Dallas public schools, and a year of substitute teaching. Since 1986, Toni has taught elementary general music at Myers Elementary School in Salem, where her assignment has also included beginning band and Rhythms (a weekly movement/ dance class). During her tenure at Myers, the school has grown to include an Emotional Growth Center (for severely emotionally disturbed students) and a bilingual (Spanish) education program.
Toni has served on the OMEA District IV board as the elementary chair, secretary, vice chair, and is completing her second term as District IV chair. As a board officer, she has organized several fall inservice conferences, and has hired clinicians for the conferences as well as the district solo and ensemble festivals. She has been the organizing chair of the District IV Middle School Honor Band since its inception in 1996, and also served two years as the organizing chair for the Middle School Honor Choir. Her most current project is managing the District. IV Elementary Choir Composition Competition, designed to promote new Spanish-language works for the elementary choir. Toni is a member of the newly-formed Oregon Society for General Music, and is also on the staff of the Oregon Ambassadors of Music, a statewide honor band and choir that tours Europe every other year.
"General music teachers have the opportunity to make the greatest musical impact on the lives of Oregon students. We see and serve every child in our schools, and are charged with opening their minds and hearts to the value and love of music. Our students come to us with increasingly diverse backgrounds and histories, ranging from those with language barriers, neglectful or abusive homes, poverty, and the after-effects of prenatal drug and alcohol abuse, to those whose parents are nurturing and involved and seek our guidance in providing enrichment to their children's lives. Yet, Oregon's general music teachers are incredibly skilled at making students successful and providing a lifelong access to an all-important 'lifeline' for them. OMEA has renewed its commitment to supporting its general music teachers. I see the new web-site as a particularly promising tool that can allow us to network with one another and expand our ability to provide the best possible music education for all of our students. I believe that there are additional ways that we can improve services to teachers (and hence, to our students) and would value the opportunity to help facilitate them as the OMEA General Music Chair."
Back to top
 Karl Gustafson
Elementary Music Chair
Karl Gustafson is in his third year teaching K-6 music at Oak Creek Elementary in Lake Oswego. His first teaching position was K- 12 music in Clallam Bay, Washington, followed by 11 years of elementary music in Sherwood and 7 years as HS/JH choir director at Reynolds HS in Troutdale and Ferndale HS in Washington. He completed his BA at Western Washington University, his Masters at Portland State, and Level I and II Orff Certifications at Hamline University. An active performer, Karl sang with Choral CrossTies for 4 years and is presently Assistant Conductor of the Portland Symphonic Choir. He has also played cello in community orchestras, bass in jazz bands, and has been a church organist and choir director for 26 years. In his spare time, he likes to build musical instruments and garden. This is my first opportunity to serve at this level in OMEA.
"Having benefited from the leadership of past members of MENC and ACDA, I feel it is my turn to step forward and do my part to further the strength of our organization and profession. In light of looming budget cuts, we all need to focus on the importance of music in our schools, and do what we can to educate others about the need for music and the arts in education. As elementary chair, I would work to encourage connections and collaboration among elementary music specialists, and increase the sharing of lessons and ideas via the internet."
Back to top
 Cynthia Hutton
Collegiate Chair
Cynthia Hutton is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Southern Oregon University. She teaches classes in Conducting, Music Theory, Brass Methods, and Band Director Preparation. Additionally, Hutton is the conductor of the Southern Oregon University Symphonic Band and is the Faculty Advisor for the Raider Athletic Band. In September of 1995 she was appointed Conductor and Musical director of the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon, a community orchestra comprised of students ranging in age from 13 to 23.
Prior to her arrival at SOU in September of 1994, she was Director of Bands at the University of California, San Diego. She recently completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting at the University of Colorado, Boulder where she studied with Allan McMurray.
As a french horn artist, Ms. Hutton has performed with the San Diego Symphony, the San Diego Opera Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, the Boulder Philharmonic, and the Classic Brass Quintet. She is currently playing horn with the Rogue Valley Symphony. In 1993 Ms. Hutton was awarded the Alteria M. Bryant Award honoring women in the arts.
Back to top
|
