Teri’s violin recital – 11May12

Applications due by June 8th, 2012

ROP Music Facilitators are full-time Americorps volunteers who will spend about 32 weeks in towns such as Fossil, Condon, Long Creek, Monument, Elkton, Madras, Metolius, and Warm Springs, Oregon teaching music and working with towns to help increase support of music offerings for their students and community members.  The Rural Outreach Project not only brings much needed music education and exposure to underserved communities, but gives musicians and music educators an opportunity to use their talents in a unique and meaningful way, while gaining valuable practice in classroom teaching.

In exchange for their 11 month term of service, Music Facilitators will receive a monthly stipend of $1,100 and a $5,550 education award that can be used for tuition or school loans.  Members are also eligible for loan forbearance, child care assistance and medical insurance.

To Apply:  Please e-mail a resume, two references, and a cover letter discussing why you are interested in the position and why you think you would be a good match.  Applications are due by June 8th, 2012

For a full description of the ROP Member position click here
For a full descripton of the ROP Roving position click here

For questions or application submittals, please contact Megan Moran, Rural Outreach Project Director at 503.283.8467 ext. 111 or megan@ethos.org

Galen’s  Piano  Students’  Recital  at  Ethos  Music  Center

12pm  Saturday,  17Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

130pm  Saturday,  17Mar12  Dance & Choir  Recital  at  the  IFCC

3pm  Saturday,  17Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

12pm  Sunday,  18Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

1pm  Sunday,  18Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

230pm  Sunday,  18Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

4pm  Sunday,  18Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

The camera had mysterious focus problems, sorry.

630pm  Tuesday,  20Mar12  Recital  at  the  IFCC

Alan’s Student Recital 14Apr12

Sharon’s Student Recital 1:30pm 21Apr12

Sharon’s Student Recital 2:30pm 21Apr12

Youtube recently increased the size of video uploads, so these and future recitals can be found at youtube.com/ethosmusiccenter.

If you’re wondering about older recitals, they can be found at blip.tv/spotlight-on-ethos.

Photo by Reba Sparrow

James Clarke got fitted for a suit and is practicing interview skills through his career training program at Open Meadow High School. He finished up his final coursework there in January.

He’s shooting for an internship at Standard Insurance and planning to start music engineering classes at Portland Community College.

But James says had it not been for the presence of music in his life, he might not have graduated at all.

“If I didn’t have music, it would have been harder to get out of that angry phase when I was younger,” said James. “I probably would have dropped out of high school my freshman or sophomore year like a lot of my friends and had involvement with the streets and things that I’ve witnessed.”

At 17, James talks about how making music has given him confidence and a language to communicate some of the tougher things he’s experienced, like racism and poverty. An early encounter with a school administrator had left him at a loss for words.

“She said because I was black I would have no value in this world. I didn’t understand until the 4th grade that she was a racist,” said James. “At that age, I thought, maybe it’s true. I had this self loathing. I started to hate myself and think, this is how it is.”

That was when he started taking piano lessons, which led to saxophone lessons at Ethos. By middle school, he found Hip-Hop. He joined Ethos’ The Hip-Hop and Urban Music Program (THUMP), where he learned Hip-Hop fundamentals like sampling, beat making, MC-ing, DJ-ing, video recording and editing. The Hip-Hop Lab, a component of THUMP, is from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Ethos/Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center.

James started attending the Hip-Hop Lab as a freshman and still attends today. The collateral benefits extended beyond music.

“I learned not only to use all the types of equipment. My opinion has gotten stronger and I gained my morals, values and beliefs through music,” he said. “The damage that was done from what that person said to me, healed. I started to believe in myself. I picked what I wanted to do and moved on.”

Hip-Hop Lab exposed James to cutting-edge technology and music styles from well before his time.

“I met a bunch people who gave me different outlooks on music. I learned a lot from sampling and record playing,” said James. “That brought me to this whole era of music from the ’60, ‘70s and‘80s. I picked up computer programs on music engineering and mastering sounds.”

James is completing a home studio and is starting to go by his music name, Catalyst. He explained how his chosen name and beliefs overlap.

“Everything changed for me. There’s still more I want to change through music,” he said. “I always thought that certain things are the way they are. Now I believe that things can change.”

Click here to visit the event page.