CONCERT TO BENEFIT SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAMS

By Lori Gilbert
Recordnet

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The soundtrack of Keith Kroesen's life includes jazz from his grandfather's piano, strains of bows crossing the string instruments of his father's students and notes from the wind instruments played by those his mother teaches.

Mostly, though, the score is of his own creation, begun when he started playing cello at age 5. The University of the Pacific senior's musical progress has been unimpeded by economic disaster, No Child Left Behind or ceaseless preparation and taking of standardized tests.

Kroesen, a student teacher preparing to follow in the footsteps of his parents, and his fraternity brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia understand those forces that threaten today's music students with the sounds of silence.

Music in the Schools

They're working to keep music alive and will hold Music in the Schools, a concert of professional musicians to benefit Stockton Unified School District music programs.

The 2:30 p.m. Sunday program at Faye Spanos Concert Hall will feature an alumni/professional wind ensemble of 44 musicians under the direction of Pacific Professor Eric Hammer, the singing of Pacific graduate Rick Campero, a solo violinist and more.

Sinfonia members hope to improve upon the $2,000 raised at last year's concert.

"We're trying to do our part while we're here," said Kroesen, who grew up in Irvine. "We're trying to influence community members, community leaders to see if they can do something about it. We want them to see music is something needed in our schools. If we can do it, they can."

In staging this concert for a second year, the 40 Sinfonia members already have had an effect on others.

"This kind of effort on the part of these young men is outstanding. I get goose bumps thinking of it," said Dean Groby, administrator for visual and performing arts in the Stockton Unified School District.

His appreciation of the fraternity is shared with Hammer.

"That 40 fellows from all over the West who are only in Stockton to go to school and develop themselves are taking their time to invest in their temporary community, to outreach and keep music going, is remarkable," Hammer said. "College-age kids often get a bad rap, but the hours they've put into this thing is pretty amazing. They're inspirational."

For more than 10 years, Pacific's chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia reached out to the community with concerts at schools.

The idea of staging a benefit concert began in 2007 when Kroesen, Justin Witt and Keil Senniger were elected as Sinfonia's officers.

"We were all outside the room and the others were deciding who the next president was going to be," Kroesen recalled. "We were talking the whole time and said it doesn't matter which position we're in, we all felt something needed to be done.

One of the major goals of the fraternity is to advance music in America, especially in the community. Even before we found out (which office each would hold), we set up plans to make this happen."

Senniger became president, Kroesen was vice president and Witt treasurer. Senniger and Witt graduated in May, Kroesen became president, and the work continues, with the new officers such as Jay Mannix and the rest of the membership supporting it.

Beyond raising money through the concert, Sinfonia is helping SUSD by donating used musical instruments.

Kroesen's father, with financial help from the Irvine Co., set up a nonprofit organization in Irvine about 15 years ago that raises money for music education in the schools with an instrument rental program. Kroesen said that over the years, it has raised more than $1 million for Irvine schools.

"Every year, he's overstocked with instruments he doesn't need or nobody wants," Kroe-sen said. "They're perfectly fine, but maybe they're missing parts that are easily replaced, or they're at the end of their life."

When nobody in Irvine answered the call to claim them, Kroesen's father went to the board of the nonprofit group and gained approval to donate them to SUSD.

About 50 of them have been transported to Stockton. Others, including a dozen cellos, are awaiting delivery.

"Considering the demographics of Stockton Unified, a lot of kids can't afford to get an instrument in their own hands to learn to play," said Dean Gorby, administrator of visual and performing arts for the district. "This contribution is significant, to give a child an opportunity to have an instrument available the district can allow them to use without cost."

Arts programs, Gorby said, exist in fear of their demise at the hands of the economy and school districts' efforts to improve standardized test scores. Sinfonia members want to alleviate some of that fear.

"Everyone may not know the crisis in music programs and arts programs in schools," said Mannix, a Sinfonia officer. "We're trying to bring that to light, to let them know they need music programs in their school. It's a vital component to a young person's education."

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