The Irvine Unified School District’s nationally recognized honors ensemble chorus and orchestra performed in the District’s 39th annual Donald Bren Honors Concert on the evening of March 30, 2023. This signature IUSD event featured more than 600 students, in grades five to 12 at the Henry and Renee Segerstrom Concert Hall. To learn more, click here to view the concert program that includes information about student performers, musical arrangements and our world-class music educators.
Superintended Terry Walker served as the concert emcee. He recognized students for their months of preparation and thanked their families for continuing to support the arts in IUSD.
He also recognized Brad Van Patten, Director of Arts Education, who is retiring from IUSD this June after 26 years of service. “Brad is one of the most influential visual and performing arts leaders in the state and nation,” said Walker. “On behalf of the Board of Education, we thank him for his service to our students and families and for his tireless work and advocacy for arts education.”
Superintendent Walker acknowledged the IUSD Board of Education for its continued prioritization and funding of visual and performing arts, while thanking the Irvine Company for its longstanding and transformational partnership to enhance IUSD’s arts education. The Irvine Company has committed to contribute nearly $50 million over 20 years through the Excellence in Education Enrichment Fund to support IUSD’s art, science and music education for students in grades four through six.
“Many school districts have drastically cut arts education over the last two decades, but IUSD’s program has flourished with community support like that of Irvine Company and its Chairman Donald Bren. Tonight’s concert is a demonstration of this commitment, a commitment that has resulted in IUSD being named one of the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation for ten consecutive years,” Walker said.
The Excellence in Education Enrichment Fund, established by Irvine Company’s funding commitment, helps provide art, music and science teachers to every fourth- through sixth-grader in the district. Instruction includes two one-hour science lessons per week, two 40-minute music lessons per week, and six one-hour art lessons per year – all taught by highly specialized instructors. Since 2006, this program has helped more than 150,000 elementary students and has propelled IUSD students to consistently outperform their peers in California and the nation in many of these subjects.
Walker concluded, “Finally, I would like to thank the Irvine Public Schools Foundation and for their commitment to primary music education.”
IUSD Board Members, Paul Bokota, Lauren Brooks, Jeff Kim and Katie McEwen were in attendance and congratulated student performers for an extraordinary evening of music.