Congratulations to Tim Stanley for receiving an "Outstanding Soloist Award" at the 2008 Columbia Basin College Jazz Unlimited Festival last weekend. He was recognized by the judges for his great Alto Saxophone solo on "Shauna's Dream." Congratulations!!!

A group of musicians in Vienna find new uses for common vegetables - turning them into musical instruments and performing a concert as The Vegetable Orchestra. (6 minute long video - amazing!)

"The Vegetable Orchestra performs music solely on instruments made of vegetables. Using carrot flutes, pumpkin basses, leek violins, leek-zucchini-vibrators, cucumberophones and celery bongos, the orchestra creates its own extraordinary and vegetabile sound universe. The ensemble overcomes preserved and marinated sound conceptions or tirelessly re-stewed listening habits, putting its focus on expanding the variety of vegetable instruments, developing novel musical ideas and exploring fresh vegetable sound gardens." - from their web site.

CONGRATULATIONS to Renee Anthony (Contralto Clarinet) for being selected to compete in the 2008 WIAA/WMEA State Solo Festival. The competition will be held on the campus of Central Washington University on Saturday, April 26. Renee will be joining Amanda McLaughlin (Flute) who was selected in February. Congratulations to both and best of luck!