Hi. Welcome to Canby High School's Instrumental Music Blog. My name is Rob Rayfield, and I teach instrumental music at Canby High School (CHS). This site contains performance schedules, class expectations and announcements about each of the Instrumental Music classes at CHS. If you have questions or need additional information, you can contact me at
rayfielr@canby.k12.or.us, or by phone at 503-263-7200 x 5855 or 503-516-2594.

I have the best job in the world: I have the privilege of working with CHS students during their four high school years, getting to really know them and teach them life skills such as team work, goal setting, leadership and work ethic. And as a bonus, I get to work with them as they make incredible music. They are amazing people, and I am blessed !!!!!!!
rayfielr@canby.k12.or.us
My background includes time in the Oregon Army National Guard Band, and 30 years in the Air Force. I have Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music from Indiana University (Go Hoosiers), and currently perform with the Rolling Hills Community Church Praise Band and sub with the Pranksters jazz band.

I started teaching twelve years ago at 91 School, and a year later was given the opportunity to teach at CHS with the Orchestra. A year after that, I started teaching the Bands at CHS as well. Although we lost the Orchestra to budget cuts, the Community Schools program has done a great job of keeping Strings alive in Canby (thanks to the Stegmeier family), and our Bands program enrollment has grown almost 50% over the past several years.

CHS is the only school in the Three Rivers Conference with competitive bands in Jazz, Marching, and Concert. In the 2005-06 school year, the CHS Symphonic Band qualified for state for the 1st time ever. In 2006-07, the Cougar Marching Band had a great year, placing 1st in the Albany Veteran's Day Parade, competing in field show competitions at U of O and OSU, and winning 1st in Class A at the Pacific Coast Invitational field show competition. In addition, the Cougar Marching Band was chosen to appear in the 100th Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade, performing before 500,000 people in the crowd, and over 30,000,000 on national TV. We've also been in the Starlight Parade numerous times. During the 2009-10 year, the marching band earned a position in the finals of the U of O Competition, and missed the final round at the OSU state finals by 55/100th of a point; we finished 6th in state in our class. The Jazz Band has performed in numerous venues including the Mt Hood Community College Jazz Festival. And we provide the Pit Orchestra for the outstanding CHS Spring Musicals. And if that's not enough, our Wind Ensemble was 3rd in Oregon academically with a combined GPA of 3.64 in 2008-09, and 7th in state in 2009-10! Check out each of our band's blogs for this years accomplishments.

I have a wonderful wife, Claudine, who taught in the Canby School District (91 School and Trost Elementary) for 31 years. This will be her second year teaching a grade 4/5 blend at Willamette Valley Christian School. We spend most of our summers in Mexico or Central America teaching, working with missionary groups and learning Spanish. My son, Dan, a graduate of Willamette University Law School, is an attorney in Albany. He and Amanda presented us with our first grandson, Adam, in August.