Music Departments Get Boost from Donations

The Port Washington-Saukville School District choral program certainly has one friend sticking around: A. Friend, the anonymous donor behind the $20,000 gift to three district schools' choral programs. It's the second year A. Friend has gifted the music programs; last year's total gift was $15,000.

“We were very honored and astounded ... again this year," said Ann Berchem, choral director.

The middle school department used the funds to purchase new show choir formal attire to wear during solo ensemble and other formal performances, music books to expand its song library, updates to the musical theater program sound system, two tunable djembe drums and a set of choral riser for performances, among other things, according to a letter submitted by Berchem to the School Board.

Dennis Gephart, at , and Karen Oftedahl, music teacher from , again received similar donations, and the three decided to combine some funds for another purchase.

"We decided this year that we would pool some of the money and purchase some new risers that we need for the stage because some of them are dented and falling apart, so we’re going to repair or replace the ones that we can," Berchem said. "Most of them are in good shape, but we kind of have some that are losing bolts."

This year, the high school received $10,000 while the other schools received $5,000 each.

“To whomever that person or persons are that the donor is, we certainly are very grateful and the students certainly will benefit from that,” said Patty Ruth, Port Washington-Saukville School Board president.

Tooting new horns
The Thomas Jefferson Middle School band department will also receive some new equipment thanks to its Music Boosters.

Scott Oftedahl, director of bands for Thomas Jefferson Middle School, said the department will buy an additional tuba as well as another timpani for percussion students' use.

The band has a limited supply of tubas for players to take home or use during rehearsals.

"Since tubas provide the foundation of our band's harmonic arrangment, it's important for us to continue  to recruit tuba players," Oftedahl said. "It can be problematic sometimes to recruit (instruments) for them to use for rehearsals and home practice."

The band also only has two timpanis — a problem when most of the music the band uses calls for three of the instrument, which adds to the range of notes the user can play, according to Oftedahl.

"Often the timpani player can only get a real feel for what they are doing during a dress rehearsal — the day before or of the concert," Oftedahl said. "So, the purchase of this instrument would allow my percussionist to really represent the music they are working on in our rehearsals as well."

The total donation from the Music Boosters will run $3,744.