Soquel High School music teacher Mark Bidelman was honored with the "Award of Excellence" by the Far Western District of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The announcement of the award was made at the district convention in Reno March 21, 2010. In the picture above, Soquel High School Principal Ken Lawrence-Emanuel is on Bidelman's right and barbershopper Jerry Orloff is on his left.
Orloff, representing the Gold Standard Chorus, presented the plaque and a check for $250, which will go to the Soquel High School music department. Only three teachers were selected for this award. Bidelman's nomination was prompted by his active support of barbershop. He has directed the Soquel Concert Choir in "Sing for Your Life", an annual benefit for music in our schools, for six years, coached a quartet of his students and sent his students to Youth Harmony Camp.