APS Music Students Honored at the State and National Level

The 2020 high school All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra had been scheduled to perform on April 25 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center but the performances were cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, the Virginia Choral Directors Association (VCDA) was also to host the All-Virginia Middle School Chorus in Richmond the same weekend. Students from throughout the state went through a rigorous audition process to compete for a spot in the band, chorus, or orchestra and these ensembles were to have rehearsed with nationally recognized expert conductors to prepare for their performances.

The following APS selected students were selected to participate:

• Gunston Middle School – Eimi Tuttle
• Swanson Middle School – Tessa Ilirjani
• Williamsburg Middle School – Alannah Hjelm, Ingrid Olsen, George Papantoniou, Kate Sullivan, John Thomas and Amelia Waldman
• Washington-Lee High School – Caden Henrich, Marissa McDonnell and Noah Portner
• Yorktown High School – Matthew Carey, Matthew Cummings, Emily Mucchetti, Jackson Pope and Rylei Porter

The Southern Region American Choral Directors Association hosted their bi-annual conference March 11-13. Arlington Public Schools had ­­­­nine students that were selected in one of the three honors choirs which performed on Fri, March ­­­­13 at the Saenger Theater in Mobile, Al. Over 1,200 students from 11 states submitted auditions to the National Junior and Senior Honor Choirs for which approximately 300 were selected to participate.

The following middle school and high school students participated in the event:

• H-B Woodlawn Secondary – Nicolas Combs, Kate Gorman and Axel McAhren
• Swanson Middle School – Colin Riley
• Wakefield High School ­ – Carson Stadler
• Yorktown High School – James Best, Matthew Carey, Zoe Nagle and Lauren Smythers