By Dennis Box

The Courier-Herald

The hills are about to come alive with some very fine music.

The newly formed Puget Sound Youth Wind Ensemble will put on its first performance at 7 p.m. Sunday at Auburn High School.

The ensemble came about from the work of Ruth Van Amburg of Sumner and Rebecca Rumpza of Auburn.

The band is made up of motivated, high level musicians and is being led by Robert Musser, director of bands at the University of Puget Sound.

Three outstanding Plateau musicians auditioned and were picked for the ensemble: Bonney Lake juniors Jared McFarlin, playing alto sax and Molly Waldron, who plays B-flat clarinet, and White River junior Kacea Pollard-Johnson playing oboe.

Van Amburg, who taught high school band for 27 years at Auburn and Auburn Riverside, described the band as an opportunity for young band students to play at a high level.

"It gives them an opportunity to work with a college professor," van Amburg said. "We've looked for very talented, highly motivated students."

Currently, the band has 37 members and may take up to 55. The ages range from 14 to 21.

McFarlin began playing sax when he was in the seventh grade and is now committed to music. He stated he is looking toward music education in college.

"This gives me an opportunity to play harder music," McFarlin said. "It was a real honor to be in this group."

Pollard-Johnson began playing oboe when she was 9 and it became her passion when she went into middle school.

She made the White River High School Wind Ensemble in the ninth grade and has played with the Tacoma Youth Symphony for the past two years.

"I knew this (ensemble) was where I wanted to be," Pollard-Johnson said. "The people there are great. It's awesome."

The White River junior hopes to be a film director some day.

Waldron began playing clarinet in the fifth grade and has been playing in the Tacoma Youth Symphony.

She stated at first the clarinet was frustrating, but as she improved and practiced, playing has become much more fun.

Auditioning for the ensemble was hard work and a little nerve-racking for Waldron.

"I'm always nervous before an audition," Waldron said. "I prepared all summer and I made it. I really enjoy it."

The ensemble board members include Enumclaw High School band director Roger Breakfield and Scott Taube, Pacific Lutheran University director of bands.

Other members include Sharilyn Andreson, Caplan Anderson, Judy Markes, Gail Hecmanczuk, Dawn Stremel, Todd Busch, Jamie Henry, Doris Doyon, Pat Parkin, Amanda Hinz and Chesca Ward.

Auditions for the ensemble will take place again in January. For information contact Ruth Van Amburg at 253-709-0420 or rvanam@comcast.net.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.