PORT ANGELES — The Northwinds Homeschool Band wants to trade flowers for more music.
Band members created 400 hanging flowering baskets on Earth Day to raise funds for a planned performance tour of Southern California next year.
Each band member must raise at least $350 of the $750 cost of the trip, said band director Dan Tutton.
“Some of our families have five or six children in the band,” Tutton said, noting that fundraising for that many children in a single family can be difficult.
The band has about 60 members ranging in age from 7 to 19 years old, in beginning, intermediate and advanced band groups, Tutton said.
About 40 of the students and 25 adults expect to travel south for the chance to record their music in a professional studio, take part in a band workshop and perform in several music festivals, including one at Disneyland and another at the American Heritage Festival.
With only 40 percent of the typical rehearsal time available to public school bands, the band depends on students’ self discipline in practicing on their own, Tutton said.
“We hold our own with school bands,” he said.
The band recently placed second in the “A” Division at the Clark College Jazz Festival, where band member David Kennedy was awarded “outstanding soloist” for his performance on the trombone.
The band participated in the American Heritage Festival in Washington, D.C., in 2011, when the band was awarded three gold medals and a silver as well as several other awards.
The band also has toured in Idaho, British Columbia and within Washington.
The baskets cost $30 each, and discounts are available in the purchase of multiple baskets.
They can be purchased by phoning 360-452-7189.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
