Western Region High School Music Festival

Twenty-two band, chorus, and orchestra students were selected to participate in this year’s Western Region High School Music Festival, which was held January 12 and 13 at Norwalk High School. These students competed by audition against thousands of students from Fairfield County in an adjudication festival in November.

Students rehearsed for two days, working with internationally recognized conductors, before presenting a concert on the afternoon of January 13. This year’s conductors were Dr Paula Holcomb, director of bands, State University of New York at Fredonia; Diane Wittry, internationally acclaimed orchestra conductor; and Peggy Diane Dettwiler, professor of music and director of choral activities at Mansfield University.

Band members selected were Nick Drabik, Stephen Dworkin, Emily Goldman, Sarah Grose, William Harrison, Ian Mason, Ben Spiegel, and Sadie Zukowski.

Chorus member participating were Daniel Berlingeri, Taylor Boles, Diana Curcuruto, Brianna Eckhardt, Sarah Harmonay, Mary Kate Hubbard, Quinlan Mitchell, Andrew Nichols, Ryan Silveira, Stewart Tabler, and Kevin Walsh.

Orchestra members selected were Lindsey Jones, Daniel McSweeney, and David Wilkins.

MENC Eastern Division Music Festival

Brianna Eckhardt was selected to participate in the Music Educators National Conference Eastern Division Music Festival. Student selection is based on the All-State audition score from the previous year. Students from ten eastern seaboard states will gather in Hartford to take part in this event. After three days of rehearsal, a concert will be presented at the Bushnell Auditorium March 11.

Fairfield County

String Festival

Calvin Song will participate in this year’s Fairfield County String Festival. Selection was determined through an audition process that took place in November. This year’s festival will be hosted at Newtown High School. Students from all over Fairfield County will take part in this two-day festival, to be held March 23 and 24. A concert will be presented on the afternoon of March 24.

All-State Music Festival

At the end of March, nine students will participate in the All-State Music Festival. Diana Curcuruto, Mary Kate Hubbard, Lindsey Jones, Dan McSweeney, Quinlan Mitchell, Andrew Nichols, Ryan Silveira, Kevin Walsh, and Dave Wilkins have been selected for this honor.

The students will be rehearsing in Waterbury on March 29, 30, and 31. A concert will be presented on the afternoon of March 31 at Central Connecticut State University.