The Westfield High School Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble traveled to the Central Jersey Music Educators Association (CJMEA) Region II Concert Band Festival on March 22. The Symphonic Band received the top rating of Gold for just the 3rd time in school history.
The Wind Ensemble received a Gold rating for the 10th consecutive year. “The Wind Ensemble also was selected for the 4th time to the annual New Jersey State Band Gala, honoring the top 12 bands statewide,” says WHS Co-Band Director Trevor Sindorf. “The concert will take place at Rowan University on Sunday April 30.”
At the intermediate school level, four student musicians have been accepted into the All State Intermediate Orchestra. Edison Intermediate School 8th graders Mai Kim and Justin Ou and 7th grader Lilia Duval will join Roosevelt Intermediate School 6th grader Riya Satwalekar in performing with student musicians from across the state on May 13.
“These students auditioned against fellow Region Orchestra students statewide for this prestigious honor,” says Edison Orchestra Director Amanda Gant.
On March 25, ten students from Edison Intermediate School participated in the CJMEA Intermediate Honors Band in Monroe. “This one-day event featured students from all over central New Jersey who were selected to perform in this large ensemble,” says Edison Band Director John Scozzaro. “Featuring over 200 students in the group, the students met together for the first time that morning, rehearsed for 4 hours, and then put on a concert that same afternoon. It was a great event featuring fantastic music-making by all of the students.”
Also on March 25, the Westfield High School Chorale Choraleers participated in the Roxbury High School Invitational Choral Festival in the Concert, Jazz, and Solo categories. “The festival featured many outstanding choirs and soloists from New Jersey and Pennsylvania and was a wonderful way for our students to be immersed in a competitive, educational, and fun experience,” says Choral Director John Brzozowski, who announced recognition in the following categories:
- 2nd Place Overall Jazz Choir (invited to perform at evening showcase)
- WHS Choraleers
- Gold rating for Choraleers and Silver rating for Chorale
- Outstanding Achievement Award for Soloists in "Birdland"
- Bella Jarecki, Sophia Erneta, Ethan Young, Nyah Wysokowski
- Outstanding Achievement for Musical Theater Solo
- Sophia Erneta
- Outstanding Achievement for Jazz Vocal Solo
- Sarah Lamonica
- 2nd place Overall in the Musical Theatre Solo Division (invited to perform at evening showcase)
- Evan Leone
- 2nd place Overall in the Concert Solo Division (invited to perform at evening showcase)
- Ryan Williamson
- 1st place Concert Solo Division Grand Champion (invited to perform at evening showcase)
- Sophie Havens
Choraleers were asked to perform at the evening festival showcase, which invites the top two scoring choirs and soloists in each division to perform in front of over 600 high school participants from the festival.
“Evan Leone, Sophie Havens, and Ryan Williamson were among the top scoring soloists in the entire festival,” notes Brzozowski. “Three out of the four students invited to perform in the evening solo showcase were our WHS students!”