Press Releases for Ryan Schultz Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2010

(Issaquah, WA) Andy Abel is admitted to prestigious International Honors Ensemble!

(excerpt below from www.issaquah.wednet.edu)

Think of it like lightning striking twice or the same store selling two jackpot national lottery tickets on the same day—the odds feel sort of like that, although Issaquah sophomores Andy Abel and Caleb Crouse can tell you that years and years of practice and dedication made their recent tandem windfall highly unlikely but not a whim of fate.

Every year, thousands of top high-school musicians across the country audition for a chance to participate in the Western International Band Clinic; of those, 600 are selected; of those, four are awarded entrance and scholarships to play in the prestigious Pacific Honors Ensemble Program in Brisbane, Australia. This year, the scholarships were announced during the clinic’s final concerts on November 22 at SeaTac’s DoubleTree Convention Center. That’s when Abel and Crouse—both sophomores, both from the same school—discovered they had swept half the awards.

“Just being one out of four people to win is incredible,” said Abel. “That’s why Caleb and I both winning is unbelievable.”

Added Crouse: “This is a great achievement for our high school and the music programs in our area. Students came from many different places and many were incredible, so it was such a surprise and honor” for two scholarship winners to be from Issaquah High.

Crikey! The pair will now fly Down Under next September to add their wind power to an all-star high-school ensemble directed by a team of eminent international conductors at the Queensland Conservatorium in Griffith University. Their scholarships will cover everything—registration, meals, lodging—except airfare.

Abel, a tuba player, and Crouse, a clarinet player, credit excellent instructors, hard work, and an extreme passion for music for this opportunity.

“Music is not just a part of my life, it is my life,” said Abel. “Everything I do relates to music and my instrument.”

Crouse plans to major in music in college. “Hard work, patience, determination, and a love of music have gotten me this far, and that’s how I plan to keep improving and preparing to play with new groups like the Pacific Honors Ensemble,” he said.

Issaquah School District music teachers— band instructors Brian Casper, Patrick Holen, and Jeff Miller and orchestra instructor Doug Longman —have been particularly “instrumental” in their development, according to Abel and Crouse. They both participate in Issaquah High’s wind ensemble, jazz band, and marching band. Abel also plays in the Evergreen Philharmonic Orchestra and Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Summer 2010

(Seattle, WA)  Seventh grader Clayton Dungey is one of four finalists in international solo competition!

When Clayton Dungey was accepted as one of the international semi-finalists for the 2010 International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s “19 and under” tuba solo competition it was quite an honor.  His hard work took him to Arizona where he was one of four finalists to advance from the semi-final round of the competition.

“I am really pleased with Clayton’s efforts,” said Ryan Schultz, Dungey’s tuba teacher.  Dungey is the second of Schultz’ students to make it to the finals of the competition in the last three years (the other was 2008 winner, Brandon Davis).

Dungey is a member of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras and a regular soloist at Seattle area low brass events.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/30/2008

Music Works Student wins International Solo Competition

(Bellevue, WA) Bellevue Christian Alumni and long time Music Works student Brandon Davis was recently declared winner of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s tuba solo competition for the 19 and under age group. Davis, now at student of Norm Pearson and Fritz Keanzig, at the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles, recently came home for the summer and returned to Music Works to put the final touches on his competition preparations.  Davis took a lesson, performed in a Master Class and gave a recital.

“It is an absolute pleasure to watch Brandon grow into his own type of musician,” said Ryan Schultz, Davis’ long time teacher at Music Works. “He got a lot done in L.A. and it was great to get a chance to work with him again before the I.T.E.C. competition,” Schultz said. Davis was competing against dozens of other tubists from all over the world. Congratulations to Brandon.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/10/2008

Ryan Schultz Music reaches tentative agreement with North Seattle Community College to host Seattle Brass Camp

(Seattle, WA)  Ryan Schultz Music is please to announce that a tentative agreement has been made with North Seattle Community College Continuing Education to host the 2008 Seattle Brass Camp at NSCC. This was facilitated in part by Mr. Schultz’ recent appointment as low brass instructor at North Seattle.

This will be the first offering of the Seattle Brass Camp but similar offerings have to made in the past two summers by Mr. Schultz and his colleague, Dr. Judson Scott in Tacoma and Bellevue.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2/4/2008

Adam Guzek wins Eastshore/Bellevue Tuba Solo Contest and Advances to State Solo Competition

(Bellevue, WA) Bellevue High School Senior Adam Guzek won the Eastshore Music League’s Tuba Solo competition on Saturday.  This is the second year Adam has advanced to the State Solo competition. Earlier this year, Adam was selected for the the top spot in the Washington All-State Chamber Orchestra.

Adam is a student of Ryan Schultz, Principal Tubist of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, at Music Works Northwest in Bellevue.  This is the second year in a row that one of Schultz’ students has won the competition.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/09/2007

Playing the Tuba Pays

17-Year Old Bellevue Brass Player Wins Full Ride, Leaves High School Early for Los Angeles

(Bellevue, WA) Local high school musician Brandon Davis spent the month of March on planes. He flew around the country (with his tubas checked safely below) to audition for two of the most coveted music scholarships in the country against some of the finest young tuba players in the world.  Davis, a junior at Bellevue Christian School, was accepted at Los Angeles’ Colburn Conservatory of Music on a full scholarship which covers tuition, room and board. Colburn Conservatory, while relatively new, has established itself as an institution on the level of the most prestigious conservatories in the United States.

Like being drafted straight out of high school to the major leagues, Brandon will have to quickly complete his high school education this summer while practicing several hours each day to stay in shape for the start of school.  Why leave high school early? Colburn accepts just one or two tuba students every four years or so. Besides Colburn, only one other college conservatory, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, guarantees a full ride for four years for all of its students.

According to Brandon's mom Pia, "As a young child we always thought Brandon would be a preacher or a politician because he was constantly talking and excited about life. Later when he first took up music, the talking morphed into whistling.  Now Brandon’s lips are still moving, but he makes his tuba sing for all to enjoy."

For the last five years, Brandon has studied the tuba with Ryan Schultz, Principal Tubist of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, at Music Works Northwest in Bellevue. Mr. Schultz describes Davis as, "a phenomenally talented young man who worked very diligently to accomplish his goals. I couldn’t have asked for a more conscientious student!"

Brandon has won several regional and national awards and was the tuba solo winner of the Washington Music Education Association’s State Tuba Solo Competition. He has appeared with "All-State" and "All-Northwest" Honors ensembles, most recently as the Principal Tubist of the All Northwest Honors Orchestra.  For a young tuba player, Brandon's accomplishments are exceptional and one of a kind. The tuba is a difficult musical medium to master and Brandon is well on his way to achieving the highest levels of musicianship.