NORTH BEND, Ore. — At today’s kickoff event for the Oregon Symphony’s Community Music Partnership, nearly 100 North Bay Elementary students sounded out their appreciation for the arts at an instrument “petting zoo” presented by a percussion trio from the Oregon Symphony.

The Community Music Partnership – a music residency program – brings the Oregon Symphony’s resources to the South Coast Oregon community for two years to design, implement, strengthen and sustain that community’s ability to deliver comprehensive music education and community programs.

 “This is some of the most important work we do,” said Oregon Symphony President William Ryberg. “For the next five months a significant portion of our resources will be dedicated to the Coos County community.”

The Symphony worked with a steering committee representing North Bend School District 15 and the Oregon Coast Music Association to design community music partnership activities in Coos County.

To support this effort, Pacific Power’s philanthropic arm, the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, presented a $12,500 grant at the event today to help smaller Oregon communities receive quality arts education programs.

“Our Foundation and Pacific Power believe that helping prepare children for learning is one of the best investments we can make in this community,” said Angela Jacobson, Pacific Power’s regional community manager, at today’s event. “That’s why we’re making this contribution; we’re confident that this investment will improve the lives of children, and strengthen their love for the arts.”

The Foundation’s grant will support 220 musician residency visits starting this month through May 2005. Music education activities include ensemble performances, classes, clinics, coaching, instrument education, two full-orchestra youth concerts, a full-orchestra community concert and staff development opportunities.

Despite evidence that participation in the arts is a critical component in the overall educational and social development of children, the state education budget crisis has forced schools to make significant cuts to arts teaching staff and programming. Public school teachers increasingly are looking to arts organizations such as the Oregon Symphony for resources and expertise to help them integrate the arts into their lesson plans.

“As budgets become tighter throughout our service area, we know how critical it is to help broaden the important mission of arts education,” said Jacobson. “It’s important to help ensure that our smaller Oregon communities receive quality arts education programs.”

Symphony musicians will continue monthly visits to Coos County through April, culminating in full orchestra youth concerts and a community concert the first week in May. The second year of the partnership will focus on the creation of a sustainability plan.

About the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning

The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning is one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States. As an independent foundation, it advances individual and community aspirations through learning. Last year, the Foundation awarded 300 grants totaling $2 million. Since the Foundation was established in 1988, it has awarded over 6,300 grants totaling more than $37 million to communities served by Utah Power, Pacific Power and PacifiCorp. The Foundation has also established a permanent endowment, recently valued at more than $38 million. In general, grants from the Foundation are limited to charitable nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations.