Oxnard Union High School District hosts Bands Celebration
CAMARILLO, Calif.-The Oxnard Union High School District hosted a Bands Celebration at its newest performing arts center at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo on Friday night.
Students from Rancho Campana, Adolfo Camarillo, Pacifica, Rio Mesa, and Oxnard High Schools performed.
Rio Mesa High's performance, under the direction of Bruce Edmiston, had toes tapping while students performed some Duke Ellington.
Oxnard High School students dedicated their performance of Stella Maris to the late Robert Borneman.
The former teacher of the year died in hospice care this year.
"Stella Maris is the term that references Polaris, the North Star, symbolically the role is the star that protects and guides. We would like to dedicate the performance of this piece to the late Mr. Robert C. Borneman, a longtime teacher at Oxnard High School that passed away just a few weeks ago and we miss dearly," said Principal Richard Urias, "Mr. Borneman was our academic decathlon coach and brought 7 county championships and 2 state championships to Oxnard High and many, many students have visited with me in the last month to tell me about the motivation that he provided them to get to college and that he also equiped them to succeed when they got there."
Band Director Andrew Spence called Mr Borneman "brilliant."
Spence, an Oxnard grad, said Mr. Borneman was like a light for students who helped prepare them for the real worlds and higher education.
Spence was also recognized during the celebration for his recent award.
He received the Bryon Hoyt / Don Schmeer Band Educator Award from the California Music Educators Association.
"Kids feel great about it because if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have gotten it," said Spence, "So, I let them know that this is their award, too."
While introducing the "Mighty Swarm" Principal Urias told the audience that the band under the direction of Spence not only opened for Grammy winner Anderson Paak. but has 2000 likes on his Tik Tok page.
Urias told the students from all the schools that music is a gift they give to themselves that they can give to others.
