(SCS) — The Saipan Community School Ukulele Ensemble received Gold at the Tumon Bay Music Festival’s Solo and Ensemble Competition on March 4, 2023. This group comprises the SCS Ukulele Band’s top 12 elite 7th and 8th-grade performers. Its members include Byul An, Hannah Chae, Erine So, Morgan Finco, Celine Park, David Park, Emma Sablan, Jose Sablan, Joan Song, Annabella Tudela, Joshua Yoo, and Sharon Zhang.
This ensemble represented SCS’s 23-year-old ukulele/music program that aims to instill the love of ukulele, music, and performing in all its students. Larry and Kui Lee have been the father-son directors and teachers of this hardworking, fun-loving group for the past four years.
The SCS Ukulele Ensemble and Band are grateful they were invited back to the TBMF and are blessed to have the opportunity for these performances and exciting learning experiences.
The SCS Small Ensemble competed and earned Silver Ranking in the Tumon Bay Music Festival on March 4th at the Micronesian Mall. This group is proud to represent Saipan Community School’s 35-year-old Band Program. This group is comprised of 12 eager middle school students. Joshua Yoo has been playing drums since second grade. His excellent math skills make him an impressive percussionist. Vivian Chung is their clarinetist. She also has experience playing trumpet, piano, and violin. Byul An, Celine Park, and Joan Song have all played the flute since 4th grade. Celine and Joan are both a part of the Saipan Pacific Wind Band. William Guo is our tenor saxophonist. He has experience playing over six instruments! Elijah Pangelinan has played the clarinet since 4th grade. He is currently learning the piano. Richard Zhao has played drums since 3rd grade. David Park has played the alto saxophone for half a decade. David is part of some major groups in Saipan like the SCS Advanced Band and the Saipan Pacific Winds. Jose Sablan has played trumpet since fourth grade. Ji Hun Park mainly plays trumpet, but he also knows how to play guitar, piano, recorder, and flute. Patrick McDonald has played alto saxophone since fourth grade. He has played over five instruments. Together they are passionate about making beautiful music and hope to continue doing so in the future.
The SCS Quartet received Silver in the Tumon Bay Music Festival. This quartet is a group of talented musicians who came together through their shared passion for music. The members, David Park on saxophone, Vivian Chung on clarinet, Joan Song on flute, and Byul An on flute, met while performing in the SCS band and decided to form their own quartet last year. With their diverse backgrounds and musical experiences, they bring a unique sound to their performances and always aim to captivate their audiences.
The Saipan Community School Jazz Band received Silver Ranking in the 2023 Tumon Bay Music Festival’s Solo and Ensemble Competition. Ms. Ruthi Fruit directs the SCS Jazz band. She loves working in small ensembles with the piano. The group members are Joshua YooByul on percussion, flutists Byul An, Joan Song, and Celine Park, William Guo on tenor saxophone, Elijah Pangelinan on clarinet, Richard Zhao on drums, David Park on alto saxophone, Jose Sablan on trumpet, Ji Hun Park on trumpet, Patrick McDonald on alto saxophone. They all love playing together in Jazz Band. SCS’s Band Program is in its 35th year, it began with a concert band, and our students so well received the program it quickly branched out to include a jazz band. Together these two programs have allowed our students to appreciate diversity in music as they expand their talents.
One large ensemble
The Saipan Community School Ukulele Band, performed in the Tumon Bay Music Festival 2023 Jazz, Rock, and Beyond Event at Guam’s Ypao Beach Amphitheater, on March 5.
The Saipan Community School Ukulele Band is part of a proud tradition of cultural music education at Saipan Community School. The SCS Ukulele Band is composed of 7th and 8th graders, many of whom have been learning to play the instrument at SCS since they were in the 3rd grade. The 23-year-old music program aims to instill the love of ukulele, music, and performing in all its students. Larry and Kui Lee have been the father-son directors and teachers of this hardworking, fun-loving group for the past four years. The SCS Ukulele Band is grateful to be invited back to the TBMF, and looks forward to many more years of celebrating the beauty of learning what music has to offer.
SCS soloists
• SCS 8th grade soloist Joan Song received Silver at the Tumon Bay Music Festival. She has been playing the flute since 4th grade on her own and began taking professional lessons since 7th grade. Joan loves playing pop and jazz music. Joan is in the Saipan Community School Advanced Band and the Saipan Pacific Wind Band. Joan was also a part of the Saipan Junior Band last year. Joan plays in the SCS band concerts and SPW band concerts and in the Marianas Friendship Concert along with Guam Youth Orchestra in Saipan.
•SCS Soloist-8th grader, Byul An is a flutist that received Silver in the Tumon Bay Music Festival. She is self-taught on flute but also plays ukulele and piano. Byul has also been a part of the Saipan Winds Band Festival. Byul is always there for the band. Byul loves helping children learn the flute. And she is grateful for the experience in performing the works she has practiced hard for at the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
• SCS Soloist Celine Jeong Bin Park, an 8th grader, received Silver performing on flute at the Tumon Bay Music Festival. Celine is proficient on various instruments, including classical guitar and piano, but her primary instrument is flute. Celine has been practicing classical guitar for the past two years. She has also played piano for three years. She currently plays in Saipan Community School Advanced Band and Saipan Pacific Winds. She has recently played in Saipan Wind Band Festival, Saipan Community School band concerts, Saipan Pacific Winds Concert, and in the Marianas Friendship Concert along with Guam Youth Orchestra in Saipan.
• SCS Soloist 6th grader Vivian Jiyu Chung received Silver at the Tumon Bay Music Festival for her clarinet performance. Vivian has diverse skills, including clarinet, piano, bass clarinet, and flute. She has been playing clarinet for 2 & 1/2 years and loves the smooth and mellow sound that the clarinet can produce. She enjoys learning new pieces. In addition to the clarinet, Vivian is also an accomplished pianist and has been playing the piano for five years. She loves how the keys come together to create beautiful melodies that evoke emotions and bring joy to others. Vivian has also dabbled in playing the bass clarinet along with a bit of flute, adding to her versatility as a young musician.
• Ruthi Fruit hails from NYC for her inspiration in music. Attending Calvary Baptist on West 57th Street during her college years in the city, she was exposed to much musical talent and friendships from people attending Juilliard and other fine music schools. Ruthi loved the many years participating in the church’s handbell choir. Her favorite choral group was Peter Coulianos in NYC.
Ruthi holds a Bachelor’s in Sacred Music from Northeastern Bible College. During college, she studied piano with an amazing harpsichordist, Joanne Schubert. After this teacher left, she met the monumental mentor and friend in her musical career, Tom Herman. Tom is a composer and pianist and has had his music performed throughout North America and Europe. He changed Ruthi’s piano playing and influenced her life tremendously. Ruthi’s younger years were spent singing in church choirs and playing the piano and organ for gatherings. Her mother would often play through a hymnbook on a Sunday afternoon. Ruthi knew where to escape to later in life…the piano.
Music was always around in every home Ruthi had, from violins to flutes, clarinets, and mostly, piano. Music expresses deep emotions where words cannot be said. It is a joy to her life. Now, Ruthi is the owner of the Rosebud Music Studio in Saipan. Her goal is to inspire students to love and play music with excellence. She also loves trying out new groups, from children’s choirs to clarinet choirs to a jazz band, and seeing where they go. Ruthi has always loved teaching and helping people. She is also a member of Saipan Pacific Winds.
TBMF is familiar to Ruthi as before Covid days, she was able to go over with the MHS Chorale and Hal Easton. She is thrilled to be going over with instrumentalists from Saipan Community School and Amanda Dunn, where she teaches general music and band. Private piano students are her main work at Rosebud Music Studio. Still, Ruthi loves the variety her life has now. “Everything that has happened beautifully in my life, I give Christ the honor,” she says.
• Larry Lee is a ukulele player and music educator based in Saipan. Originally from Hawaii, Larry moved to the Marianas around 1990. He has served as a music instructor at Northern Marianas College and Saipan Community School, developing and teaching ukulele courses. Mr. Lee has also taught private lessons and classes at the Public Library. He has performed regularly at venues such as the Surf Club restaurant and produced music videos with his son, musician Kui Lee. Lee is also the co-founder and organizer of the annual Marianas Ukulele Festival, which received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and produced a documentary video about ukulele in the Northern Mariana Islands in 2020.
The Saipan Community School Ukulele Ensemble received Gold at the Tumon Bay Music Festival’s Solo and Ensemble Competition on March 4, 2023.
The SCS Small Ensemble earned Silver Ranking in the Tumon Bay Music Festival at the Micronesian Mall in Guam.
The SCS Quartet received Silver in the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
The Saipan Community School Jazz Band received Silver Ranking in the 2023 Tumon Bay Music Festival’s Solo and Ensemble Competition.
The Saipan Community School Ukulele Band performed in the Tumon Bay Music Festival 2023 Jazz, Rock, and Beyond Event at Guam’s Ypao Beach Amphitheater, on March 5.
SCS 8th grade soloist Joan Song received Silver at the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
SCS soloist-8th grader Byul An is a flutist that received Silver in the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
SCS Soloist Celine Jeong Bin Park, an 8th grader, received Silver performing on flute at the Tumon Bay Music Festival.
SCS Soloist 6th grader Vivian Jiyu Chung received Silver at the Tumon Bay Music Festival for her clarinet performance.
SCS music teacher Ruthi Fruit is also the owner of the Rosebud Music Studio in Saipan.
Ukulele player and music educator Larry Lee
