Students Earn State-wide Music Honors

Several APS students were selected to All Virginia and regional music ensembles.

All Virginia Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble
Three APS high school students were accepted into the All-Virginia Jazz groups. A performance was given at the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference in Hot Springs, Va on Nov. 18th with two nationally acclaimed guest conductors. This prestigious ensemble is available to approximately 40 students around the state who are accepted into one of the two ensembles.

• Huck Browne, guitar – H-B Woodlawn, jazz band
• Sam Colaccino, trumpet – Washington-Lee High School, jazz ensemble
• Zach Niess, trombone – Yorktown High School, jazz ensemble

APS Seniors Named to Virginia Honor Choir
Four APS high school seniors were selected as members into the 2017 Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) Senior Honor Choir.  Auditions took place at Longwood College on Oct. 7. Students performed at the Virginia Music Educators Association’s convention in Hot Springs, Va on Nov. 18.The choir is open only to the top 125 singers from around Virginia, and is the highest honor a choir student can attain during his or her high school career. Auditions were open to seniors enrolled in choral programs at their respective schools.

• Grace Fisher – Washington-Lee High School, Soprano 1
• Will Granger – H-B Woodlawn, Tenor 2
• James Nicholson – Yorktown High School, Tenor 2
• Jordi Parry – H-B Woodlawn, Bass 2

Northern Virginia All-Regional Orchestra
Six APS high school students were accepted into the Northern Virginia All-Regional Orchestra that performed on Nov. 11 at Marshall High School in Fairfax. The orchestra is one of four regional orchestras in the state where approximately 110 strings, wind and percussion players are accepted via a rigorous audition that takes place in September. The top players of each instrumental section are then eligible to audition for the All Virginia Band and Orchestra later in the school year.

• Lucy Core, violin – H-B Woodlawn
• Matthew Cummings, cello – Yorktown High School
• Billy Holtz, viola – Yorktown High School
• Jackson Pope, violin ­– Yorktown High School
• Laney McDonnell, cello – Washington-Lee High School
• Sabrina Shuster, violin – Washington-Lee High School