Seven talented young musicians from Jockey Hollow Middle School performed in the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s Honors Band and Honors Orchestra Festival at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford on March 30, an event featuring the best fifth and sixth grade band and orchestra students in Connecticut.
The festival, which took place at the annual CMEA in-service conference, included rehearsals and performances under regionally and nationally recognized conductors with sectionals and lunch with fellow musicians. It culminated with a concert, in which students put together everything they did throughout the day.
“All of these students are incredibly hard workers and are really passionate, not just about music in general, but for their particular instrument,” said Mark Bilotta, Jockey Hollow’s band director.
“Many of these students also participate in additional musical groups as well, both at school and outside of school,” he said. “We are so proud of the work they put into getting to this festival and for an amazing performance this past week.”
Students are nominated by their band teacher and then presented to the festival committee, which makes the final selections.
The Jockey Hollow students selected for the Honors Band were sixth graders Claire Hannum (JHMS main campus) on flute and Nathan Lisanti (STEM Academy) on tuba.
Selected for the Honors Orchestra were sixth graders Clare Fulchino (main campus) on violin, Andrew Hancox (STEM Academy) on cello, Adriana Korczeniewski (STEM Academy) on violin, ViHa Pham (STEM Academy) on violin and Alexander Samudosky (STEM Academy) on cello.
