Every year, all music groups — band, choir and orchestra — at Wilsonville High School come together for an offsite retreat.

Venecia Gonzalez, senior at Wilsonville and an active member of the school’s band, explains how this year’s retreat differed from previous ones: “We usually go to Winema Camp at the coastline, but this year we had to reschedule because we normally go in January. But we went to Alders Gate in Turner, which is southeast of Salem.”

Despite the location change, Gonzalez emphasizes the significance of the retreat. She explains, “This is something we do every year as a way to combine the music groups at the high school as well as getting in really intense rehearsals where we all separate and then we just rehearse our festival music. The festivals are how we are able to qualify for state.”

In addition to separate rehearsals, she describes the bonding activities that took place during the retreat. “We did a lot of band and orchestra bonding activities. and the choir did their own activities. Then, during the weekend, we came together and did various things as a group.”

Xander Povey, another senior at Wilsonville who attended the retreat as a member of the choir, agrees with Gonzalez’s sentiments about the importance of bonding within the music department. He states, “During the choir retreat, you get put in a cabin with kids and get to know them, whether or not you did before. So, it’s a good bonding opportunity.”

Povey also notes that many new people have joined the choir that he is unfamiliar with, highlighting the benefits of attending the retreat. “There are a lot of new people that came into the choir this semester, people that I don’t really know, so I thought it would be a really great opportunity to get to know the newer faces in the choir.” 

As shown, the retreat serves as a valuable opportunity as a way to bond, connect with other groups within the music department, and for newcomers to familiarize themselves and make connections.