WHS music students participate in high school music fest

Post date: Feb 15, 2019 5:35:12 PM

Five music students from Wells High School participated in the 2019 MMEA District 1 High School Honors Festival held at York High School on January 18th and 19th. Participating in various performance groups were Tim Martell and Sam Norbert in Mixed Chorus, Zoe Angelakis and Delaney Bailey in Treble Chorus, and Isabelle Martin in Concert Band.

According to WHS Band Director Larry Downing, this festival occurs every January at a site determined by the Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA). Interested students first practice on music they are given then audition in October with results determined by how well they audition, the cut-off score, and the needs of the ensemble that forms to perform in concert on the festival’s last day.

MMEA’s District 1 is generally composed of 17 York County high schools. The highest scoring musicians from these schools are invited to attend the weekend event which begins with rehearsals to learn new music on Friday and Saturday mornings. The festival ends later Saturday afternoon with a concert for the public. In this festival, students have the honor to rehearse with a guest conductor selected by the managers of the three performance groups: Treble Chorus, Mixed Chorus, and Concert Band.

All five students indicated that they had a great time at this year’s festival, a non-competitive event. “It’s always a lot of fun,” said Zoe Angelakis about her fourth year attending. “You make a lot of new friends.”

In contrast, this was the first year at the festival for Delaney Bailey. “(This is) something I would recommend to other kids who would really enjoy choir or even band,” said Bailey. “It’s just so nice to find people who enjoy (attending this) as well.”

From the left are: Zoe Angelakis, Delaney Bailey, Tim Martell, Sam Norbert, & Isabel Martin.