A big part of Jeff Sandberg Jr’s job with a band this size was to keep the kids focused and their attention on his conducting.

OROVILLE – The Monster Music Festival came to Oroville last week bringing together 270 student musicians from all over North Central Washington.

The Okanogan Valley Music Educators Middle School Monster Music Festival was hosted by the Oroville School District’s Music Department. Middle School and Junior High School choir and band students performing with Oroville students were from Bridgeport, Brewster, Grand Coulee Dam Middle School, Pateros, Omak, Okanogan, Tonasket and Liberty Bell.

The event lasted all day with rehearsals beginning at 9 am, and it concluded with a free concert for the public starting at 6 p.m. in the Oroville HS gymnasium,” said Eric Stiles, Director of the Oroville School District Music Department.

The choral selections were directed by Mark Caldwall and accompanied by Gwyn Kopp. They were selected from “Irish Blessing,” Jonathan McBride; “Ching-A-Ring Chaw,” Linda Spevacek; “Aurora Boralis,” Amy Bernon; “Hello, Goodbye,” Audrey Snyder and “Arirang,” (with flute accompaniment by Max Thew), Sonja Poorman and Jonathan Lim.

Performing in the chorus were Sopranos: Alexi Mendoza – Omak, Ashley R. King – Tonasket, Aspen Bosco – Omak, Bailey Hubbard – Okanogan, Bailey Schmitt – Okanogan, Brooklynn Brown – Omak, Emily Larsen – Pateros, Emily Otis – Tonasket, Iridian Mascote – Pateros, Jessie Burks – Tonasket, Kallysta Ray – Tonasket, Katelyn Kuiken – Tonasket, Katie Henneman – Tonasket, KD Hatley – Okanogan, Keira Carver – Okanogan,Lalayna Danforth – Tonasket, Laura Brown – Okanogan,LeeAnna Ruth Luther – Tonasket, Melanie Christensen – Tonasket, Mistina Hartney – Okanogan, Nichole Fahey – Omak,Rachel Silverthorn – Tonasket, Rose P. Walts – Tonasket,Ruth Ingram – Okanogan, Sammi Burdick – Okanogan,Sammie E. Early – Tonasket, Shalynn McCune – Omak, Shelby Walker – Okanogan, Sidera Blue – Omak, Vanessa Estrada – Pateros, and Yessie Mendez – Tonasket ; Altos: Amanda Knowles – Omak, Ashley Nickell – Omak, Brandy Woodward – Pateros, Burgandy DeAnda – Tonasket,Courtney Clark – Omak, De Osha Matt – Omak ,Elora Zimmerman – Okanogan, Jazzy Van Dyck – Tonasket, Terris – Tonasket, Jordan Kehne – Omak, Kathryn Routon – Pateros, Katie Aldag – Okanogan, Kayla Wyllson – Okanogan, Kendra Bryson – Okanogan, LeighAnne Barnes – Tonasket, Lorena Cervantes – Tonasket, Madison Morgan – Omak, Missy Lopez – Tonasket, Morgan Tyus – Tonasket, Myranda Bringman – Okanogan, Nicole Juarez-Zelaya – Tonasket, Paola Carillo – Pateros, Rhaney Harris – Omak, Roxanne Belgarde – Okanogan, Ruby White – Tonasket, Sam Butler – Okanogan, Sam Ehrhard – Tonasket, Sidney Ables – Omak, Suzie Van Dyck – Tonasket, and Tiffany Fox – Okanogan and Tenors: Aaron Frank-Douglass – Omak, Anthony Weber – Omak, Austin Warren – Okanogan, Brendan Chalmers – Okanogan, Breymond Townsend – Okanogan, Calvin Baldaia – Okanogan, Casey Dee – Omak, Cory Predoehl – Omak, Darrell Joe – Omak, Derian Ramirez – Omak, Erick Ramirez – Omak, Ethan Clark – Okanogan, James Colbert – Okanogan, James Sandoval – Omak, Jamin Truit – Omak, Jayson Harper – Omak, Johnathan Freese – Tonasket, Jordan Beaver-Evans – Omak, Julio Espino – Pateros, Nathan Hennigs – Okanogan, Nathaniel Lowry – Omak, Ron Tonner – Omak, William Hunter – Pateros, and Wyatt Covington – Omak .

Caldwell earned his Bachelor of Music from California State University at Fullerton, and a Master of Teaching from Gonzaga University in Spokane and has been a music educator in the public school systems of Idaho and Washington for 29 years. During this time, he took show choirs to National Competitions twice. He is the founder and director of Northwoods Performing Arts, a performance-based community choir which owns the Circle Moon Theatre at Sacheen Lake in Washington. Currently, Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell reside in Priest River, Idaho, where he is a K-12 choir director in the West Bonner County School District.

Jeff Sandberg Jr. conducted the band which included Flutes: Angie Vazquez – Brewster, Charmae Lawson – Okanogan, Cindy Tinoco – Brewster, Claire Johnson – Omak, Delaney Lester – Omak, Diana Zambrano – Brewster, Elizabeth Granados – Brewster, Elizabeth Mariscal – Brewster, Irish Easter – Pateros, Jasmine Dodgen – Omak, Kassy Moran-Flores – Bridgeport, Kaylha Blanchard – Oroville, Latasha Lee – Oroville, Leighanne Barnes – Tonasket, Lexi Callahan – Okanogan, Lorena Cervantes – Tonasket, Lupita Vargas – Brewster, Madison White – Pateros, Maricela Aparicio – Brewster, Marta Martinez – Brewster, Michelle Diaz – Omak, Natalie Torres – Brewster, Rachel Silverthorn – Tonasket, Sarah O’Dell – Omak, Star Orman – Omak, Trevor Ritchey – Liberty Bell, Vanessa Estrada – Pateros, Zoe Whittaker-Jameson – Oroville ; Oboe: Roberta Hall – Pateros ; Bass Clarinets; Claudio Ochoa- Bridgeport, Samuel Gordillo – Pateros, Evan Wagstaff – Liberty Bell ; 1st Alto Saxophones: Abigail Bigwolf – Omak, Alexis Infante – Brewster, Asa D. Daniels Demeerleer – Liberty Bell, Blake Rise – Oroville, Brennon Ramsey – Tonasket, Erica Osorio-Diaz – Pateros, Hunter Swanson – Tonasket, Laura Brown – Okanogan, Mason Duke – Okanogan, Nathan Hugus – Oroville, Nathan Rise – Oroville, Nick Bahena – Bridgeport, Olivea Oyler – Okanogan, Phillip Law – Omak, Sebastian L. Hogness – Liberty Bell, Steven Roberts – Okanogan, Trevor Peterson – Tonasket, Tyler J. Bergevin-Krumme – Liberty Bell, Zulema Sotelo – Brewster ; 2nd Alto Saxophone: Andres Barboza – Brewster, Armando Rojas – Pateros, Gavin Asmussen – Bridgeport, Jennifer Perez – Brewster ; Tenor Saxophones: Danny Rodriguez – Liberty Bell, Miguel Arellano – Brewster, Sydney Matheson – Grand Coulee Dam, Tawan Murray – Tonasket : French Horns: Baillie Hirst – Tonasket, Kodie Duck – Omak ; Trombones: Audreyanna Phillips – Omak, Brandon Wilson – Oroville . Colin S. Waichler – Liberty Bell, Jonatan Mota – Pateros, Jorge Flores – Pateros, Jovani Lucas – Brewster, Juan Guzman – Brewster, Kayla Mathis – Oroville, Kendra Bryson – Okanogan, Louis Morrison-Nelson – Okanogan,

Rose Walts – Tonasket, William Shearer – Oroville, Baritones/ Euphoniums: Brendan Zelenka – Brewster, John Esquivel – Brewster, Jordan Hughes – Tonasket, Naydelin Arevalo – Brewster, Shirley Andale – Bridgeport ; Tuba: Joshua Wilder – Grand Coulee Dam, Zane A. Herrera – Liberty Bell ; 1st Clarinets: Anna Blackburn – Pateros, Ben Hatfield – Omak, Elora Zimmerman – Okanogan, Exie D. Romero – Liberty Bell, Gracelyn Granstrom – Liberty Bell, Isabelle Swayne – Okanogan, Jasmine LeDuc – Bridgeport, Julia de la Cruz – Brewster, Kayla Wyllson – Okanogan, Kristin Campbell – Okanogan, Lalayna Danforth – Tonasket, Lily A. Stoothoff – Liberty Bell, Marlisa Garcia – Brewster,

Megan Davisson – Omak, Nathan Hennigs – Okanogan, Rowan Bauer – Okanogan, Ruth Ingram – Okanogan, Sam Butler – Okanogan, Sammie Early – Tonasket, Tanya Ang – Grand Coulee Dam, 2nd Clarinets: Alma Garcia – Brewster, David Duarte – Bridgeport, Elizavet Mariscal – Brewster, Emily Larsen – Pateros, Mya Bercier – Bridgeport, Sandra Hilstad – Oroville, Yessica Nemecio – Oroville; 3rd Clarinets: Ashley Heath – Bridgeport, Erandy Esquivel – Brewster, Jissele Ornelas – Brewster,

Karen Ibarra – Brewster, Guadalupe Cancino – Bridgeport, Lupe Rosales – Brewster; Baritone Saxophones: Arturo Infante – Brewster, Eva C. Goodman – Liberty Bell, Gene Orozco – Brewster; 1st Trumpets: Alfonso Medina-Martinez – Omak, Aubrey Miller – Pateros, Austin Warren – Okanogan,

Ben Kraske – Omak, Brandon Wiliams – Okanogan, Bryan Lopez – Brewster, Corrina Karrer – Tonasket, Cristian Ruiz – Grand Coulee Dam, Damien Wallis – Liber
ty Bell, Esmerelda Guzman – Brewster, Fiona Maitland – Pateros, James Buckingham – Bridgeport, Javier Hernandez – Tonasket,

Jose Marin – Brewster, Karina Baum – Okanogan, Lloyd Temby – Tonasket, Luis Fernandez – Brewster, Michael M. Hafsos – Liberty Bell, Mikayla Scott – Oroville, Nicholas Crandall – Tonasket, Nicole Marchand – Okanogan, Peter Campbell – Okanogan, Rebekah Hassing – Omak,

Thomas Kennedy – Tonasket, Todd Kammers – Omak, Zion Butler – Tonasket; 2nd Trumpets: AJ Davies – Bridgeport, Alex Swenson – Oroville, Angeles Garcia – Brewster, Elizabeth Arellano – Brewster, Moises Capote – Oroville, Nancy Garcia – Brewster, Samantha Arellano – Brewster,

Valeria Angel-Oros – Pateros; String Bass/Bass Guitar: Cameron Logan – Grand Coulee Dam,

Dakota Haney – Oroville, Matthew Logan – Grand Coulee Dam, Vanessa Rodriguez – Okanogan; Percussion: Baillee Wilson – Tonasket, Benton Greene – Oroville, Camden Williams – Grand Coulee Dam, Chase Ried – Omak, Christina Ellsworth – Okanogan, Craig Conway – Omak, Dawson Sachse – Omak, Gene Fenton – Grand Coulee Dam, Ian Dodson – Bridgeport, Jonathon Johnson – Brewster,

Lane Webster – Brewster, Luis Solis – Pateros, Omar Calderón – Tonasket, Paiton Johnson – Oroville,

Preston Garcia – Pateros, Rosa Velasco – Brewster, Santana M. Johnson – Liberty Bell, Shannon Smith – Pateros, Spencer Cleveland – Okanogan, Timmy Freese – Tonasket, Tristan Thorndike – Oroville, Victor Flores – Tonasket, William Hunter – Pateros and Wyatt Utt-Picking – Omak,

Sandberg went to Oroville schools when he was younger and his father was the music director for Oroville Schools. He has been the director of choral and instrumental music at Clovis Point Intermediate School since the fall of 2007. Previous to taking the appointment as band and choir director, Sandberg earned his elementary education certificate from Heritage University in Toppenish, Wash. in June of 2007 and his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash. in September of 2004. While attending CWU, Mr. Sandberg was honored with the Harvey Brooks Woodwind Scholarship, the Abe & Pauline Moawad Jazz Scholarship, and the Gries Housing Scholarship. He served as a Resident Advisory for the university during the same time. Mr. Sandberg also gave a full senior recital on his major instrument: saxophone. Mr. Sandberg’s degree grants him the privilege to teach K-12 choral, general, and instrumental music, as well as k-8 classroom. He is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Wind Conducting from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He and his wife, Crystal, reside in Wenatchee and are preparing to fly to China to adopt a boy named TongJie.