1 / 4

Kathy Bird conducts members of the Lone Peak High School Orchestra during a practice at their school in Highland on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald

Spenser Heaps

2 / 4

Students in the Lone Peak High School Orchestra practice at their school in Highland on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald

Spenser Heaps

3 / 4

Jason Gibbons plays the cello along with other members of the Lone Peak High School Orchestra during a practice at their school in Highland on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald

Spenser Heaps

4 / 4

Bailey Harrison and other members of the Lone Peak High School Orchestra practice at their school in Highland on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald

Spenser Heaps

❮ ❯

Lone Peak High School seems to have the formula for excelling in music. Both the Lone Peak Chamber and Concert orchestras received gold medal plaques last week at the National World Strides Heritage Performance Festival in Anaheim, Calif.

They ranked first and second place overall and received four trophies between the two of them. The groups received trophies for “Outstanding Orchestra” and “Outstanding Instrumental Group.” They also earned the Adjudicators’ Award for Excellence, given for the difficulty of music played and the quality of performance.

Parent volunteer Lesa Carter said the trip was unique, and she didn’t expect it to be such a satisfying experience.

“Between the orchestras and choirs, we traveled with 228 students. That’s a lot of people to travel with,” Carter said. “I was really surprised and impressed with the students. They were kind, respectful, playful and happy, but not rude or obnoxious. They thanked us constantly and always offered to help. It didn’t feel like 200.”

The Chamber Orchestra was a combined ensemble of students from the Symphonic Strings and Chamber Orchestra at Lone Peak. The Concert Orchestra was a combination of LPHS tenth-grade orchestra and qualifying ninth-grade students from Mountain Ridge Junior High School and Timberline Middle School. In fact, 25 of the 60 participating students were ninth-grade musicians.

Carter’s daughter was one of the 25 ninth-graders. She had to earn all of her own money for the trip, which took her a year. Carter attributes her daughter’s drive to orchestra teacher Kathy Bird. All three of her children say Bird is their favorite teacher.

“It’s because of who she is,” Carter said. “They would do anything for her — practice hard and stay up late working. They want to make her happy even though her expectation is high. They know she wouldn’t ask if she didn’t think that they could do it. They work so hard, even at their age, not for me, but for her.”

Bird said this was the largest festival of the year for World Strides Heritage Performance Groups — a popular and well-respected touring, performance and adjudication program. It is based in Salt Lake City and serves all of North America. Lone Peak was competing against groups from the United States and Canada.

“The kids played marvelously,” Bird said. “We haven’t been on a tour in over four years because of the economy, so it was our first national competition in a long time. It was very gratifying.”

Carter said Bird particularly impressed the judge from Harvard with her introduction and notes about the arrangers and nuances in the pieces to be performed.

Bird also shares this passion and knowledge with her students each day.

“She teaches about life and the opportunities that music can bring to it,” Carter said. “My children will come away stronger and more secure individuals for having had her as a teacher. She’s made an impression on them that will last forever.”

Perhaps the most rewarding part of the festival came when Lone Peak won the Sweepstakes Award for the combined highest scores for any school at the festival. The high marks from the LPHS orchestras were combined with the LPHS A Capella Choir, Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus, directed by Lois Johnson, ranking them as the top school at the festival. Having received both gold awards, they were invited to play at next year’s Festival of Gold, which would mean a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

“What a thrill to see Lone Peak orchestra and choir kids cheering for each other,” Bird said. “We really brought down the house!”