There’s no question that Roosevelt’s Band Program is successful, but the influence that the women in the band program have can sometimes go unnoticed and undervalued. There is no doubt there are fewer women than men which makes it easy for the women to not be recognized for their work. The band program lacks female leaders despite having girls with years of experience and leadership skills, yet their influence largely contributes to the band’s success as a whole. That being said, the Roosevelt Band Program would not be what it is today without the women.
Women in primarily male dominated spaces can be demoralized and unmotivated to join or have an active lead because it is easy to get shut down if you are more soft spoken and don’t carry a really strong opinion on who has solos and what songs are played. It’s important that we highlight and uplift women in male dominated spaces and give them the recognition that they deserve and work so hard for, uplifting female voices and spotlighting women who contribute so much to our band program is crucial.
Sylvie Jones is a senior at Roosevelt and plays various percussion instruments with a focus on mallet instruments. She has been a part of the band program for four years. Sylvie has been playing piano since the age of six. In the future, she hopes to see more small combos formed for jazz band, outside of the one they have now. She would especially like to see more girls in jazz combos since there aren’t any at the moment and see these combos perform at festivals and events. She often helps her bandmates read their music and helps those around her. One woman that she would like to highlight is Nelle Russell, “She is so dedicated to practice and so nice.”
Linden Lewis is a Senior at Roosevelt and plays various percussion instruments in the Advanced Concert Band. She has been taking lessons and participating in the band program for four years and has been playing drums since she was 8. She is a strong collaborator and an enthusiastic community member. She hopes to see an increased focus on community building particularly in the individual sections and an emphasis on efficient leadership in the coming years for the band program. She would also like to highlight Nelle Russell. “I feel like she is really well versed in all types of music and brings such an enthusiastic and supportive energy to the band.”
Nelle Russell is a Junior at Roosevelt. She plays the guitar which she has been playing for six years and the alto saxophone which she has been playing for one year. She started in the Intermediate Jazz Band her freshman year, later joining the Advanced Jazz Band and Concert Bands her sophomore year. Nelle said, “I’ve noticed that every year more and more girls join the band program, I’d love to see that continue to grow in the years to come.” Two women in the band program who Nelle would like to highlight are Sophie O’Brien and Melissa Gasca Cortez because “They are both so dedicated to the band program and are very supportive.”
Sophie O’Brien is a junior at Roosevelt and a part of the Advanced Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble. She has played the Trumpet for five years and the French Horn for four years. Sophie’s flexibility and attention to detail stands out and her commitment to the bands she is a part of shows. In the future, she hopes to see more diversity in the musicians and music that is played within the band program as well as an orchestra program rather than just a wind ensemble. A woman that Sophie would like to highlight is Melissa Gasca Cortez, “Her dedication stands out and is something I respect about her.”
Emi Wilson is a senior at Roosevelt and has been a part of Roosevelt’s band program for two years now. She has played bass guitar for four years and upright bass for two years which is what she exclusively plays now. They are a part of the Advanced Jazz Class. In the future, Emi would like to see an environment where everyone talks to each other more in a productive way and more communication on how everyone can individually play better. Emi is a dependable band mate who is on time as well as even-tempered. She would like to highlight Nelle Russell because “She is always present and does a great job with all of our charts.”
Melissa Gasca Cortez is a junior at Roosevelt and has been participating in the band program for two years. She plays the trombone which she has been playing for nine years and started playing at seven years old. She is a member of the Advanced Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble and an outside program in North Portland, Bravo Community Orchestra. She is also enrolled in the all-city honors band which will be happening in February 2026. Melissa is a leader for her section but also for the band overall in her role as drum major. She works to connect people with one another saying, “If we all have good connections with one another, we make a stronger band, a stronger program, a stronger community.” She is skilled in being dedicated to her work and the band, juggling multiple bands and giving them her all while also caring for her education and upholding her grades. In the future, Melissa would like to see more representation of gender, identity, and ethnicity in the bands. “It’s an important part of us to be inclusive and welcoming to everyone.” She also hopes to see more representation of the band program as a whole saying “These students work hard for what they do and it shows” A woman that Melissa would like to highlight is Sophie O’Brien, a multi-instrument player for the band program playing french horn, trumpet, upright bass, and viola. “The skill and dedication she has for each of the instruments is extraordinary.”
Don’t let the lack of women in Roosevelt’s band program discourage you from joining, the only way to strengthen the diversity and inclusivity of the program is to bring in more women as a whole. When asked what advice she would give to girls thinking about joining the band program next year, Linden Lewis said “I’d say being open to criticism and also open to collaboration. Being able to stick up for yourself is important because it’s not always about the musical skills, it’s also about the communication and skills that are needed and contribute to keeping the community afloat and making the music experience worthwhile”. Roosevelt’s Jazz Band will be playing in the Pleasant Hill Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 11th at Pleasant Hill High School where we can come together and show support for the women in the jazz band.
