Best of band, chorus students participate in festivals
by Kirsten Medice, Staff Writer
March 17, 2010
For the music department, January marked the beginning of an intense festival season. Through the end of January and into February almost every week was packed with either a band or chorus festival of many different varieties.
This year, band instructor Rob Reams took on the responsibility to host not one, but two festivals at LAHS. The first festival, Armstrong County Band, took place Jan. 19-20. Leechburg band students, along with band students from other schools in Armstrong County, performed a public concert on the 20th.
The Leechburg participants were Kelly Klingensmith, Melissa Danjou, Sara Anderson, Olivia Hilty, Allison Koleny, Camden McCormick, Amanda Knispel, Jacob Mrochek, Laurel Zeigler, Emily Steininger, Justin Koleny, Michael Salem, Bre Stephens, Nicole Brecht, Natalie DelVecchio, Maura Pasko, Will Salem, Jessi Smith, Ray Geminetti, Kirsten Medice and Joe Predebon.
The second festival held at LAHS was the Alle-Kiski Valley Junior Honors Band. Eighth and ninth grade students represent their schools in this festival. LAHS students selected to attend included Kaddidi Horrell, Camden McCormick, Olivia Hilty, Courtney Lebetz, Lindsey Rowe, Sara Ritter, Meghan Slifer, Clay Kalmar, Colton Kalmar, Tyler Snyder and Kotlon Bricker. This festival was held Feb. 18-19.
The last festival in the band repertoire was PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) District 3 Band. While this festival also includes a selection process by a school’s band director, band students begin by auditioning. After each participating director selects which students they believe will best represent their schools, they attend a meeting with the other directors from District 3 to conduct a “lottery” of sorts to fill the spots in each instrument section.
Sara Anderson, Jacob Mrochek, Natalie DelVecchio, Maura Pasko and Will Salem were all chosen to attend District Band. Once there, students auditioned again using pieces of music from their district folder in order to receive a chair ranking. Depending on the number of instrumentalists in each section, the top few of each section then advance to attend Region Band. Junior Maura Pasko is the only Leechburg musician making it to Regions, allowing her the possibility of advancing to States.
Chorus students also attended festivals of their own. County Chorus was held at West Shamokin in November. In January, however, Natalie DelVecchio, Kirsten Medice, Adam Ravotti and Michael Salem traveled to Clarion-Limestone to participate in the PMEA District 3 Chorus.
The journey for District Chorus is about the same as for District Band. Students must first audition for their school’s director and from there directors meet to fill slots in each section. Once the students arrived in Clarion, they auditioned with two pieces of music from their folder as well. Whoever ended in the top 10 chairs of each voice section moved on to Regional Chorus. Unfortunately, no students from Leechburg will be attending this year.
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