Page 28 - Spring 2024
P. 28

Music Department -



        News From The Music Room





        By Kevin Mania,
        HHS Music Faculty



        Greetings from the music room!                            MUSICIANSHIP award in the High School for their
        WOW!  This has been a momentous year.  Faculty have       performance.  All students with solos received a 1
        been working nonstop with the students to get ready       rating for the groups.
        for performances of all kinds.                            I would say that it was a rather successful competition
        All our Jazz Band and Show Choirs performed for their     season!  BRAVO to all the directors and students
        respective state jazz festivals.  The first weekend of jazz   involved in this year’s groups.  You continue to show
        competitions were held at Lake Region High School         other schools in the state that we are alive and well
        with the High School Jazz band.  The band had a           in Houlton.  Shire pride is something that we hold to
        wonderful time traveling to South Portland for a night    a high standard in our department.  We continuously
        at the Merry Manor Inn where the students were able       try to reinforce how important it is to have pride in
        to relax in the pool and have some fun on Friday night.    what we do.  We are a team, and we can accomplish
        Early Saturday morning we loaded up and headed            anything we put our efforts in.
        to the festival.  The group performed mid-morning         In May, we had our Spring concerts.  All our groups
        and received a SILVER rating.  We had all our students    played a variety of concert literature that kept our
        receive a 1 rating on their solos, which is the highest   students working hard and feeling proud of their
        rating. The students had a wonderful experience and       accomplishments.  The band had its annual Band - O
        were able to hear some other great groups.                - Rama on May 2, which featured the Middle School
        The second weekend featured our Middle School             Band and the High School Band.  The chorus had its
        Jazz Band.  They traveled to Waterville High School.  It   Choral Fest on May 13, featuring the Middle School
        was an enjoyable day for travel as it was one of our      Chorus and the High School Chorus.  The Chorus has
        first nice days with sun and decent temperature in a      continued to invite community members to sing with
        while.  The group performed excellently!  They had a      the students at their concerts.  This has been a terrific
        rating of GOLD.  This was our second year to get this     addition to their performances.  It is always good to
        rating and we were so pleased with the students.          see people who have a lifelong interest in performing
        One of our students also received an OUTSTANDING          music.  Our community members who come to sing
        MUSICIANSHIP award as well.  Only five are given out      with the group are greatly appreciated.  It was a happy
        in our performance room.  All our soloists received a 1   and sad time for us.  As we played our final formal
        rating.                                                   concerts of the year, that means that we say goodbye
                                                                  to great seniors that have been with us for many years.
        The third weekend was for the High School and Middle      This year the band graduates seven and the chorus
        School Show Choirs.  This was a busy weekend for sure.    graduates three.  We hope to see them come back and
        It was also the eclipse weekend!  While the town was      visit and be a part of our next big reunion in the years
        filling up with eclipse visitors the group headed south   to come.  We will deeply miss their contributions to our
        to Ellsworth High School for a fun filled day of Show     group and their leadership.
        and Jazz Choir performances.  This year’s High School
        show choir performance was titled “The Afterlife“and      Currently we are getting ready to support our town’s
        the Middle School was “Weather.”   Both groups had        Memorial Day ceremony at Monument Park.  Every
        great performances and brought home SILVER for            year the local American Legion invites us to participate
        the High School and BRONZE for the Middle School.         in their ceremony.  Without hesitation we always do
        We had a student receive another OUTSTANDING              this event.  We are happy to do our part to give back




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