A Final Bow -- Ken Noreen's Bands Built A Tradition Of Excellence At Shorecrest High School

He came; he stayed to build a championship team; and now it's time to turn in the uniform and retire.

No, we aren't talking about a football coach here. This is a look at Shorecrest High School music director Ken Noreen - a man once described as "a near legend in the state high-school music fraternity." Noreen has been canny enough to build his music program just the way a coach develops his squad.

Blond, clean-cut and cherub-faced at 51, Noreen went to junior and senior high with University of Washington football coach Jim Lambright, one of a small cadre of old buddies who still calls him "Kenny." He doesn't look old enough to retire, and there are moments when Noreen still wonders if the time is right.

"I had some real hesitation about retiring," said Noreen, who turns over his baton at the end of the academic year after escorting his prize-winning band to Dublin for the St. Patrick's Day Parade next month.

"But I've been here at Shorecrest 24 years, after six years of assistant work. I've reached my 20-year goals: To establish a well-balanced music program at this high school and a quality all-around band program that will continue."

Coaches were models

Successful athletic coaches, Noreen says, get results because they build a system that develops talent early and channels it into their program. That has been his model in music.

"In the fifth grade, over 95 percent of our kids (in the Shorecrest district) play instruments; it's part of the curriculum," Noreen explains. "They see what a challenge and a thrill they get from playing musical instruments. It lays a great foundation."

Like a college coach sending scouts to secondary schools, Noreen supervises an elementary program that tests all students on basic aptitude. They get to try out strings, woodwinds and brass instruments, and they get to express their preferences.

More than just a teacher

Noreen's success with the Shorecrest program on three fronts - concert band, marching band, jazz band - has led to many requests for demonstrations at conventions and at other schools. He tells audiences that you don't just need to be a coach; you also need to be a businessman - and that involves working with a parent-support team on fundraisers, chocolate sales, coupon books, and auctions.

Take next month's trip to Ireland and Scotland. Just before Christmas, Noreen found out that the trip was confirmed; within a week, his parent team had raised $90,000 for the tour. Now that figure has risen to $200,000, with nearly $100,000 still to go. (Along with other Shorecrest musical ensembles, the band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, featuring music of the Pacific Rim; information, 361-4304.)

Noreen has coordinated several such events during his years at Shorecrest, including two trips to the Rose Bowl, the finals of the national concert-band festival, the inaugural parade for President Bush, and 10 tours of Europe.

His expertise at such tours came under scrutiny in 1990, following press reports of a potential conflict of interest. Though it violated no existing code at the time, Noreen is part-owner of a travel agency that for a decade had an apparent monopoly in arranging the band's tours.

Following a story about the situation, The Seattle Times received an avalanche of mail supporting Noreen. After a year and a half of public debate, the board of the Shoreline School District in January 1992 passed an ethics code that prohibited any real or potential conflicts of interest.

Noreen doesn't believe in sitting back and observing the political process, either. He says he has "helped elect all the current school board members" and actively cultivates relationships with local political figures, up to and including Sen. Patty Murray.

"I believe in our political system," says Noreen, who has been a statewide activist in several offices, including president of the Washington Music Educators Association and the Washington Music Administrators.

When you look at Noreen, you see a guy who loves kids. His office is a beehive of student activity, and Noreen possesses the enviable ability to answer several questions at once.

"I look around, and kids aren't really any different from the ones I taught 30 years ago when I started out," he says. "They have the same hopes and fears and potential. I love working with kids, because they keep you young. When you work with adults, they grow old and you grow old right along with them."

But since he also believes that "we all owe it to education to get out and let new people have a chance," Noreen has decided that the 30th year is time for a change. He is now considering several options as a consultant, from public schools to a possible university connection.

Band headed to Scotland

Noreen is going out with a bang, following the band's first invitation from the Lord Mayor of Dublin to march in the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade. The band also is going to Scotland, because of its official connection with the Clan Gordon (whose tartan is part of the uniform).

"I was in Edinburgh to watch the last batch of our kilts being hand-sewn," Noreen says. "We have the only bagpipe class that I know of in the country. Everyone wanted to `take the band home' to Scotland."

Overwhelmed with volunteers for parent and faculty chaperones, Noreen had no hesitation picking the school's head football coach, who used to be a drummer in Noreen's band. He also feels he's leaving the band in good hands.

"I'm proud to hand our program over to Dave Johnson, who has been here for four years now as assistant director," says Noreen. "I looked hard for him; I planned this out, and now everyone will have a shot of new adrenalin, enthusiasm and ideas. And so it goes."