- And now, it is my distinct privilege to introduce to you
the 2019 WSMA High School State Honors Orchestra,
conducted by Gary Lewis, a Yamaha Master Educator.
[applause]

["Jupiter," from The Planets by Gustav Holst]

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["Jupiter," from The Planets by Gustav Holst]

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[cheers and applause]

[Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi]

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[Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi]

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[Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi]

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[Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi]

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[cheers and applause]

- If you'll allow me just to say a few words of thanks
and appreciation.
It's been such a pleasure for me to be part of this
incredible project, beginning back in June in Green Bay,
and culminating with this last few hours together
in this performance today.
Thank you so much for being here,
for sharing this special moment with us.
There are so many people to thank,
I'm sure I'll miss some,
but I want to sincerely thank Victoria Donahue
and all of the WSMA staff for the fabulous job they do
in producing and organizing this event.
It's just a real amazing feat that they accomplish,
getting all of us in this room, just like clockwork for us,
so thank you so much for all your work in making this happen.
I sincerely want to thank the section mentors,
such incredible colleagues.
It's been a pleasure to get to know them
and watch them work
and be the beneficiary of their work.
They've really done all the hard work,
and I've had the pleasure of standing in front of this group
and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
So students, will you please help me thank
our section coaches and mentors for their work.
[applause and foot rumbling]

I'd like to thank all the music educators of this state
for the incredible work that you do
and sharing your students with me
for the last for the last few months, I guess,
with a little break in between.
It's just been a real honor,
and I'm so in appreciation, in awe of what you do here.
And lastly, and not-- and most importantly,
I'd like to thank these wonderful musicians on stage.
It's just been a real honor for me to get to know them.
And I was explaining to them,
there's only one other all state that I've been a part of
where I get to see them again.
Although this is, it will be a bit bittersweet.
But when we come, when we finished our performance
in Green Bay back in June,
it was, I was so already looking forward
to spending more time with them.
They're just such wonderful musicians
and such a wonderful, wonderful human beings.
And I hope you agree at a time
when the arts are sometimes under fire
and on the chopping block,
they're such an important part of our development.
You know, sometimes we, I think, defend the arts in education
with how it affects our brains
and how it helps us to achieve academically,
and the fact that the young men and women on stage
are among the most highly achieving academically.
But I'd like to think about music
and the way that it affects our soul,
and the way that creates better human beings.
And the collaboration that it teaches,
and the discipline that it teaches,
and the empathy that it teaches.
And I think you'll agree with me
that as our society today, especially empathy,
is something that is in short supply.
And these young men and women are gonna provide
a great deal of that to our society.
So thank you very much again for allowing me
to be a part of this,
and we hope you enjoy our final selection.
Thank you.
[applause]

["Danzón No. 2" by Arturo Márquez]

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["Danzón No. 2" by Arturo Márquez]

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[cheers and applause]