Spring 2008
President’s Message

We just completed awarding our scholarships for this summer. We are never able to help everyone who applies. It’s always difficult to tell someone we can’t help them. The cost of summer music camps makes it difficult for many families, and as you know, the cost of everything we buy these days is increasing. Our schools in California are going to experience major funding cuts, which will affect the elective programs, especially music programs. If you have the opportunity, please tell your elected leaders to support the performing arts programs and all our education programs in the schools.

The Board spent two days listening to tapes and making recommendations for awards. We spent another two weeks trying to divide up what we received in donations from our last two newsletters. Fortunately, our anonymous donor listened to our plea to help seven additional student applicants and willingly gave us an additional $3,400. Except for the two newsletters and other materials costs, we use all of the money donated to our Fred & Edna Ohlendorf Scholarship Fund for summer scholarships. The money you donate from this newsletter and the fall newsletter will be used for next year’s scholarships. We’re at “0” dollars again right now after awarding scholarship for this summer.

Arrowbear’s costs are still much less expensive that other summer music camps in the U.S. For example, Idyllwild charges $2,250 for two weeks. The Pacific Music Camp in Northern California charges $600 for their one-week session. Arrowbear charges $400 for the one-week jazz and choral sessions.

We really appreciate your support. The money you send us makes a difference in the life of someone who may not have ever had the chance to experience a summer music program. We have one high school winner who has already called us several times to make sure he has filled out his acceptance and registration forms correctly. He’s so excited about going to camp that he just starts speaking and forgets to identify himself when he calls us. Calls like that make all of our time and effort worthwhile.

I hope you have a great summer. If you have a chance to visit the camp, check out their web site to look for dates. I recommend you email them for concert dates since they don’t always have a concert every weekend these days. The students always seem to have a wonderful experience. In comparison, the Arrowbear “Coconut Bear” makes the TV American Idol show look like an amateur contest, at least in my opinion!
 

Fall 2007
President’s Message

Southern California was again inundated with devastating wild fires last month. Fortunately, Arrowbear Music Camp’s buildings were not damaged by the fires, but there were many homes and businesses that were either destroyed or damaged. We got several emails and phone calls from alumni who live out of state asking about the condition of the camp. We gave out the best information available which is a web site at www.rimoftheworld.net. The damage was extensive to the mountain area, especially around Lake Arrowhead. In Running Springs, there were 168 structures destroyed. The estimated cost of rebuilding homes and businesses is $155 million dollars. The only fire close to the camp was at the bottom of Music Camp Road. That house fire was caused when the electricity was turned back on. That fire wasn’t connected to the wild fires.

Michelle Chace Bass, who lives in the Blue Jay area, thankfully did not lose her home, but the houses across the street from hers were completely destroyed. Her dad did lose his home to the fires. She said there were power lines down and fire damage everywhere. In Long Beach, the air quality was so bad that the school district wouldn’t let students play outside or participate in PE. Fires are one of those dangers that will always be a part of the mountains. We know that other campers and alumni live in the area. If you have any information and would like to share, we can publish it in our next newsletter. Arrowbear is safe once again, and with luck will survive other fires that threaten it.

Thank you for your generous donations to our scholarship fund. When it’s time to decide on scholarships, we never seem to have enough money, but we always find a way to help as many young musicians as possible. The new three-week session was especially difficult for us to fund because of the cost. There are still elementary, middle-school age, and choral and jazz sessions for the older students to enjoy.

One last note: Dennis is planning to have a work/clean-up chamber music time before camp opens for the summer. I do not have the details, but we can post them on our web site at www.arrowbearmusicassoc.org when we get more information. Sometimes it takes disasters to make you think about what is important and what you can lose. For me, it is the memories of the place, the dining hall, the dorms, orchestra bowl, and all the activities that took place there over the thirty plus years that I was involved with Arrowbear.

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday where ever you may be.

Spring 2007
President’s Message

Summer is almost here once again. That means we have just completed awarding our scholarships for this summer. We thank all of you who have donated to our scholarship fund. Your generous contributions make it possible for us to send 49 students to camp that could not afford the cost of a summer music camp experience.

Arrowbear has extended their Advanced Session to three weeks. This will be a new experience for that age group. Once disappointment for us is that we have money for choral scholarships; however, it is difficult to get choral students to apply for the scholarships. We sent out letters to choral teachers, made sure all the choral campers got the fall newsletter advertising the scholarships, and put the word out the best we can. If you have any ideas, please email us some suggestions.

I hope you have an enjoyable summer, and if you are able, try to attend one of the summer camp concerts. Check before you go since there is not necessarily a concert every weekend.

Fall 2006
President’s Message

Our Reunions are a wonderful moment in time that bring together alumni and friends. I hope those of you who were able to attend enjoyed the day as much as I did. I also know that many more of you were with us in spirit. There were 95 alumni and their families at the Reunion. Their contact information is included with this newsletter.

The best part for me is visiting with friends and reliving memories. The Choir sang three wonderful selections in the dining hall. Many thanks to Fran Harding for her fine conducting. We then moved out to the Ohlendorf Bowl (orchestra bowl) to hear the Brass Choir play a selection by Gabrielli. Jack Hollander graciously and effectively conducted the piece. The concert concluded with the orchestra playing “Tara’s Theme” and “Wildwood Flower” under the baton of Joe Burger and “Light Calvary Overture” conducted by Albert Jeung. Joe said he hadn’t held a baton since he retired. It was a great treat for all of us to play under him again.

The dedications to Dr. Sawhill and Phil Elithorpe were a highlight of the Reunion. Many alumni shared stories about working with these two inspiring conductors. Their plaques will join the others already in the Hall of Fame on the back wall of the Orchestra Bowl.

The day was a success due to the volunteer hours put in by the Board of Directors. I’d like to thank them for all their hard work. All of those on the Board devote their own time and energy to make sure your donations help as many students as possible. If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact us. The organization survives only because you all believe in Arrowbear and the difference it makes in the lives of young musicians.

 

Spring 2006 President's Message

 I hope that everyone is doing well and that you enjoy reading our newsletters. It’s hard to believe that Arrowbear will be celebrating its 65th Summer this year. On Sunday, September 3, 2006, we will gather for our Reunion at Arrowbear Music Camp. The theme for the Reunion will be “65 Years of Music and Friendships So Dear.” The best part of these Reunions is seeing friends and sharing memories; however, as I get older the memories do get fuzzier. Another great thing is the interaction between the different generations of campers, especially the stories that are shared about their camp experiences. On a sad note is that alumni are passing away, which means that the Reunions are sometimes the last time we will ever see that person. Time passes so quickly. Mr. O has bene gone now for twenty years.

One of the activities at the Reunion will be a celebration for Dr. Clarence Sawhill. He directed the band at the Senior session at Arrowbear for many summers and was the Director of Bands at UCLA. The former “Band Bowl” is now called “Sawhill” by the present campers, but most of them have no knowledge of who he was. We hope to perform the Kitchen Symphony and hope that those of you who knew him will share some stories from your time with him at camp. Another person who we would like to honor is Phil Ellithorpe. He was the director at Choral session for many years and was also the choir director at Wilson High in Long Beach. We will have plaques made for both of them to be placed in camp.

The day will be similar to past Reunions. In addition to the Reunion Orchestra, we are planning to have a brass choir and choral selections for our Choral alumni and for those of you who don’t play your instrument anymore.

Tentative Schedule

You’re welcome to come into camp on Saturday afternoon and sleep overnight. The Intermediate session will be having their concert at around 6:00 that evening, so please leave your bags in your car until they have had a chance to clear out. You can stay until 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 4, if you wish. The accommodations at camp are just as you remember them, but there are a number of motels in the vicinity if you’re not up to staying in camp. We do caution you that it is Labor Day weekend and likely to be busy for the motels. You can try Running Springs, Big Bear, and Lake Arrowhead. We’ll put out a list of contact numbers for lodging in our July update.

For your donation we will provide a Reunion picture, a Reunion Note, and lunch. We are going to offer different types of shirts this time: a polo shirt for the men and a V-neck with cap sleeves for the women. A small Reunion logo will be on the upper pocket area. These will be available by pre-order for a small additional donation to cover the cost of the shirts. Limited numbers of additional shirts will be available on the day of the Reunion. You’re best bet is to pre-order so you know you’ll get the size you want. The camp will provide breakfast and dinner for an appropriate donation, or you can eat out of camp. It would be great if you could pre-register as soon as you know your plans for the summer. This will help us order the food and the shirts as well as copies of the music.

This Reunion is our major fund raiser. We appreciate all the support that you have given us in the past. It is only because of your generosity that we can help so many students who could not otherwise afford to attend camp. We’re excited to announce that we have awarded 46 scholarships totaling $21,120 for this coming summer. Thanks to all of you who donated to our scholarship fund this past year. You do make a difference.

Arrowbear Music Associates is an all volunteer group. We meet at my home and operate our business aspects of the corporation there, usually over chips and sodas. We are a non-profit corporation; however, we keep the costs to a minimum. All the Board members freely give their time and energy to keep our organization functioning so we can provide as many scholarships as possible. If you are interested in helping with the Reunion, scholarships, fund raising, or even being a permanent member of the Board, please contact us at any time.

A final Reunion Update will be mailed out in mid-July. Please send us the names and addresses of alumni. We need help spreading the date of the Reunion so no one is left out who would like to attend. Talk to your friends and get them to come!

Fall 2005 President's Message

I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. We were able to award forty-one scholarships because of your generous contributions. Music education in our schools is an important part of our children’s education. Educators know that these programs help improve student learning which is reflected in our schools’ test scores. We also know that summer music camps bring remarkable changes in the lives of the children who attend them. With your help, we will continue to support these programs for as long as possible.

At our last Board of Directors meeting, we set the date for the 65th Reunion for Sunday, September 3, 2006. We will be sending information out next spring about how you can register to attend. We have discussed the possibility of honoring Dr. Sawhill. The band bowl is now called Sawhill; however, I do not think that the present day campers really know much about him. If you were at camp when he was there, have any stories about him, or about his career, we would like to have them for the Reunion. We are also planning to have a reunion orchestra and some works for the choral alumni to prepare. If you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see happen at the Reunion, please send your ideas as soon as possible. The Board is meeting several times over the next few months to firm up its plans for the Reunion. You are always welcome to join us. Fresh ideas and volunteers willing to help are always appreciated.

Roger Johnson is planning to retire from directing the Long Beach City College Community Orchestra next spring. This is the same group that Dr. Pappone directed for many years. Roger has already retired from teaching at LBCC. He’s ready to enjoy other things, like spending more time with his grandchildren. Our last concert will be on May 7, 2006. If you are able, please join us for Roger’s last concert with our orchestra.
 

Spring 2005 President's Message

It was in November of 1985 that Arrowbear Music Associates had its first official meeting. During the past twenty years, our organization has helped hundreds of campers to attend music camp. As I return to  the presidency of the Associates, I hope that we will continue to provide scholarships for another twenty years, and hopefully, many more years beyond that. Our organization is an all volunteer group. We volunteer our time to help others enjoy a summer of music as we did.  We are always in need of help with raising money, awarding scholarships, and planning activities. If you are interested, please contact us.

Over the past twenty years, the Associates has sponsored several reunions, picnics, and recitals to raise money. Our primary goal has always been to provide scholarships to students who need financial assistance. We have been able to help so many campers because of your generous donations. Sessions this summer at Arrowbear cost between $360 and $800. This is really al bargain. Other camps in the San Bernardino mountains cost as much as $1,400 per week. Thanks to all of you who have donated to our scholarship funds.

The first Reunion our organization sponsored was the 50^th Reunion  in 1991. The next Reunion, the 65^th, is only a year away in the summer of 2006. We hope you will be able to join us. It will probably be over Labor Day Weekend again, but we’ll have the details ready for the fall edition of the newsletter.

This year’s Arrowbear Music Camp’s brochure has a quote from Mr. Ohlendorf: “I believe in music as an enrichment for anyone, and I believe that the more they can perform in beautiful organizations of great music and get inspiration and happy memories of great pieces performed . . . the richer their lives will be.” He always believed that all school children should have music as part of their education. This belief is why the Associates works so diligently to help students. As you all know, it is an experience that stays with you for a lifetime.

Fall 2004 President's Message

Every time I stop at a stoplight, someone drives up next to me with rap music blaring very loudly. Is this what our music world is coming to? Is this what the public schools are satisfied to graduate every year? Where is the effort to teach the great classics, to teach that seeing the actual Mona Lisa is better than seeing a picture of it? What can we do as individuals to preserve the greatness of the past while encouraging young artists of the future? Well, we can become teachers in the public schools, take on a mentor or tutoring situation after school, help finance a young kid through summer camp, and contribute whatever we can to help out wherever we can.

I went to a conference in St. Louis this summer to stem the tide of electronic devices in the pit of Broadway shows and touring Broadway shows; however, the producers are so greedy that they want to eliminate actual musicians from the pit and replace them with electronic devices, known as virtual orchestras, to "SAVE" money. Naturally, the average ticket payer gets NO break in the price from these greedy practices and may not realize they are being ripped off in such a fashion. We must educate the young audience and the theatre going public through a public awareness campaign and additional education throughout the public and private sectors as well as in summer camps, that this is the future of music unless WE STOP IT!!!! I heartily encourage all of you to donate to the cause of your heart and keep music LIVE!!!! Bless you in all your endeavors and keep music ALIVE!!!!
 

Spring 2004 President's Message

Hello, Everyone. I often feel I keep saying the same things, but there's always news to think about. This summer will be like no other with the passing of Seth. It seems like there is nothing I can even begin to say that will provide comfort. I can only rely on the words of great poets like E. E. Cummings who wrote, “Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond any experience, your eyes have their silence: in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, or which I cannot touch because they are too near. Your slightest look easily will unclose me though I have closed myself as fingers, or if your wish be to close me, I and my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly, as when the heart of this flower imagines the snow carefully everywhere descending; nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals the power of your intense fragility: whose texture compels me with color of its countries, rendering death and forever with each breathing. I do not know what it is about you that closes and opens; only something in me understands the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses.”

The passing of loved ones takes time to comprehend. I will continue to ponder and reminisce. At least we can all be grateful that the camp survived the terrible fires of last fall. We came so close to losing Arrowbear. I’m sure you felt as helpless as I did as you listened to the news reports or searched for information on the Internet. The rain and the wind turned the tide and kept Camp from what seemed like certain destruction.

Musicians are fighting many battles in the workplace and schools...always the funding is being cut for the arts. Producers threaten to replace Broadway shows with virtual orchestras (a little black box), but of course never give the public a break in prices. Right now, something called Phamlet B is threatening to cut in half the wages of Theatre Musicians. The President of the Union is coming from New York to meet with local union musicians to hear our complaints and hopefully reverse this tide. Will music once again belong to the elite as in Mozart's day? Will only kings and queens will hear it? I have always been middle class, and always will be. Had it not been for music in the public schools, where would my life have gone? I don't know. In closing, I again ask you to support the alumni efforts on the behalf of all music camps. Be generous, and keep fighting the necessary fight. Let this point of light continue to shine throughout forever.

Fall 2003 President's Message

Dear Fellow Alumnni...it's that time again to write a newsletter. What will be our children's greatest influences? I guess mine was music...the teachers and friends who surrounded me. I remember when Kiki Collins played the Bruch violin concerto in All City Honor Orchestra. She probably doesn't even remember me. I listened and hoped to play like that some day. Shoot ahead 30 years. Has it really been that long? I have the privilege to sub frequently for the musical The Producers at the Pantages Theater, and in the violin folder, I see that Kiki did the show in Ohio when it was there. Wow!, I thought. Isn't that a beautiful thing? Then I had a chance to go to Japan on tour with an orchestra. There were Arrowbear alumni there too. So I am saving my money to send my daughter to yet another summer, so she can have some great experiences and have the chance to play with other Arrowbear alumni as an adult. The influence Arrowbear and the Ohlendorfs had on all of us is so far reaching.

The Japanese have beautiful concert halls. It's a pleasure to play in the acoustics of a great hall. They really support the arts there too...so many concert halls in so small a country. Well, I'm enlisting your support once again. Please contribute to the scholarship fund so we can include as many kids as possible at camp next summer. Thanks again for you previous support and please be generous once again.

Spring 2003 President's Message

Greetings to you and welcome to our spring newsletter. We spent a recent Saturday listening to the tapes of over 40 kids, all making admirable efforts to win the prize of a scholarship. I remember those days! It was always so hard to make the tape sound just right. I would try it several times before I was satisfied.. Then came the writing part. Did my story sound legitimate? Did I exaggerate? Did I tell them enough about my qualifying problems? I see these kids going through the same things I did. Life keeps repeating itself. These kids weren't even born when I was in high school. It's hard to comprehend sometimes. Oh well, I hope we make a difference in as many cases as possible.

The good news is that music programs are alive and well in southern California. Over 900 students tried out for the approximately 180 positions in the All Southern High School Honor Band and Orchestra. On the other hand, what is the future of professional musicians? I was just sent a collective bargaining agreement which virtually said, accept management’s salary increase" proposal or we'll dissolve the entire orchestra!!! Imagine that being the future for these hard working students! But it's true...I've been in the music business for 20 years, and I might have to go on unemployment at least for the summer. It's not a pretty picture, but it is reality. I get to go to Japan in a week for 22 concerts with an orchestra, but when I get back, it'll be a struggle. I will try to accept all gigs on my message machine while I'm gone, but that means many expensive phone calls from Japan. Is acoustic music the dinosaur of the 21st century? I don't know and certainly hope not; however, let's try to give these students a chance. Maybe they will come up with new ideas that will make music more dynamic in this century. Well, we will keep fighting the good fight. We welcome all contributions.

President’s 2002 Message

Dear Arrowbearites - Happy New Year! Hope all finds you well. Have you heard the news about classical orchestras lately? All the players are taking pay cuts just to keep many orchestras from folding. It's not encouraging. I do gigs where the audiences are mostly older with few young children in them. Where are the audiences of the future? Will it come to the point where only the elite can afford to train their children in the classics and the general masses will be passed over? If I didn't have good public school training, where would I be? Just listening to CDs, I guess, rather than playing. Who will be my children's "Mr. Ohlendorf"?? Who will train, inspire, and motivate them to choose classical instruments as a career even if the odds are against them, even if there are too many musicians for too few chairs????

The only answer I know is for all of us to support the arts in our communities and through alumni contributions. I implore all of the alumni to take someone under their wing: help inner city kids pay for music lessons, adopt a kid through a summer camp program, and take your own kids or grandchildren to the symphony! Technology is a fact, and somehow the classical music business has to catch up. Could you write a string quartet and orchestrate it for the junior high orchestra in your area! Donate your time to your local public school music program. You could offer to coach sectionals or give lessons at reduced cost. Let's find a way to make technology beneficial to us as musicians so we don't have to worry about being downloaded and all our profits taken away. I'm sorry to be so pessimistic. I guess I'm in the thick of it because it's what I do to make ends meet. Anyway, I appreciate all your support in the past for Arrowbear, and hope you will continue to be generous in the future.