Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

7/21/05

NEWS RELEASE
Dueling Pianos will Showcase
Auburn Teacher's Dual Talents

John Ansotigue, a 27-year veteran music and P.E. teacher at Evergreen Elementary School in Auburn, will be battling it out with another pianist, Jee Wong, in “Dueling Pianos,” on Friday, August 12 at noon. The already sold-out event will be held at the Kent 50+ Program, 600 E. Smith Street, Kent. The two “dueling” pianists will play the same songs, but with very different styles. Mr. Ansotigue will be presenting each song in quick tempoed Boogie-Woogie and Rock ’n Roll style while Jee Wong, a young classical pianist, will play the same songs with classical elegance.

Mr. Ansotigue’s talent is remarkable for he has “dual” passions – physical education/sports and music. Most individuals are fortunate to find just one interest or career that they can be passionate about. Mr. Ansotigue just completed his fourth year teaching these dual subjects and he loves the contrast of his content areas. “When a student comes to me and tells me that they won’t be playing an instrument because they will be playing on a sports team, I tell them that they can do both. That they shouldn’t exclude each other.” Mr. Ansotigue models that for all the students at Evergreen Heights Elementary School.

Auburn School District’s implementation of “sports stacking” in all elementary schools as well as hosting the first state-wide “sports stacking” tournament were direct results of Mr. Ansotigue’s leadership and commitment to physical health. Sport-stacking or cup-stacking is a small muscle repetitive race that motivates students to focus while stacking and unstacking cups in a certain pattern.

For more information, contact Superintendent Linda Cowan at (253) 931-4914.