November 2, 2011

Hilton students participate in All-State Festivals

Hilton High School All-State Selections for Senior and Junior High Hilton High school have been announced by Hilton CSD Music Program Coordinator Nancy Russo.  Junior Allison Shields has been accepted as an alternate flautist for one of the All State ensembles and junior Anne Taylor [trumpet] has been accepted to participate in the 2011 All State Symphonic Band.  In addition, Anne was also accepted as a member of the 2010-11 Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, the highest level youth orchestra in the Hochstein School of Music. The All-State ensembles will rehearse at the NYS School Music Association conference in December at the Rochester Convention Center.  The Senior High Area All-State Symphonic Band will perform Sunday, Dec. 4, at 10 am in the Eastman Theater.

Accepted at Merton Williams Middle School on the basis of their spring NYSSMA scores were instrumental Students: Alyssa Reese - clarinet, Victoria Rivera - clarinet, Maura Connorton - bassoon; ninth grade instrumental students: Jacob Kuebler - euphonium; Brandon Bourg - trumpet; Zach DiVasta - percussion [orchestra]. The 2011 Jr. High Area All-State Music Band/Orchestera [grades 7-9] is being held Nov. 4-5 at LeRoy Central School District.

November is a busy month for students of vocal and instrumental music if they participate in the area music festivals organized by the NYS School Music Association (NYSSMA). This year, the NYSSMA Junior High Area All-State Festival will be hosted by LeRoy on November 4-5, and the Senior High Area All-State Festival will be held in Victor on November 18-19. Both occasions will feature top musicians (band, chorus, and orchestra) from our NYSSMA Zone (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Wyoming counties).

There will be close to 300 student musicians performing at each of these festivals. The major NYSSMA event is its Winter Conference that features All-State Performing groups: Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Mixed Chorus, Women's Chorus, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Instrumental Jazz Ensemble, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble.  This three-day event will be held in Rochester at the Convention Center and three nearby hotels on December 1-4.  The Conference offers workshops exhibits, performances, and training sessions for music teachers and college music majors, and culminates in the performances of each of the All- State groups at the Eastman Theatre.  This year, 129 students from our region, 87 of them from Monroe County were selected to perform.

The students who are selected to perform in regional festivals as well as the Conference All-State groups are chosen based upon the scores they received at NYSSMA Solo Adjudication Festivals held throughout each spring as well as by teacher and adjudicator recommendations.