By Dr. Ferrell Miller
Cesar Martinez, Junction City High School Orchestra Director, was the guest of the JC Breakfast Optimist Club on December 28. He represented the JCHS Music Department.
Mr. Martinez, who is originally from Honduras, told club members that he came to JCHS from Mississippi so he could teach students in the string program. “This is my dream job”, he said.
While growing up in Honduras, his father was a singer and Cesar and his siblings played the violin. After four years of playing the violin, Cesar decided he wanted to play a different and unique instrument. He chose the oboe. “An oboe is a very expensive instrument, and the player must make (or have made) the double reed used to play the oboe. Reeds are affected by temperature changes and other conditions, which adds to the challenge of playing the oboe. But that is my favorite instrument.”
Not only is Mr. Martinez in charge of the orchestra program at JCHS, but he is the principal oboist with the Salina Symphony. Cesar stated that “it is important that students at the high school realize that “they do not have to be a music major to get a scholarship at a university. Students may receive a scholarship to play in the orchestra, but major in another content area. Part of my job is to develop relationships with orchestra directors at various regent and private universities to help students be recognized and be considered for scholarships. In one case a student has been offered $25,000 for four years to play in the orchestra and may or may not be a music major.”
He also told the Optimists that one piece of music for vocal or instrumental music groups to perform costs as much as $75.00. “So, if we perform four pieces of music in a concert that costs us $300.00. We also buy reeds and strings for instrumentalists and keep instruments in good repair. Contributions from clubs like the Optimist Club is appreciated”, he said.
Two hundred dollars each to the vocal, band and orchestra programs at JCHS was donated to help support the important work being done with high school musicians.