Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Music Department News

Nineteen Ashford School students will be participating in a regional musical festival in Putnam, CT. The Quinebaug Valley Middle School Musical Festival (QVMSMF) began 4 years ago when area music teachers were looking for an opportunity for the students to develop and show off their skills in concert band and choir.

Mrs. Porri and Miss Dotson, Ashford School’s music teachers, selected student participants based on ability as well as character. These nineteen students represented the top musicians and leaders in the school. Band students included: Chris Pavliscsak, Caitlin Ecsedy, Jennie Rozenberg, Tessa Weidig, Caleigh Campion, Adam Cherepon, Cassie Hayward and Joseph Cherepon. Choir students included: Matthew Sibley-Jett, Erica Mahue, Kayla Bendell, Brooke Noel, Laina Fesenmeyer, Ben Lagasse, Martha Sherman, Sarah Caldwell, Jessica Bassett, and Shelby Colonese.

Ashford students will combine with students from nine other communities for rehearsals on November 9th and 12th with high quality conductors and educators from around Connecticut. The rehearsals will culminate with a concert to be held on Thursday, November 12th at 7:00pm in the Putnam Middle School Auditorium. This concert is open to the public. Guests are asked for a $2.00 donation ($5 max/family) and a canned good.

Congratulations to our Ashford students! We are very proud of your work and excited for your chance to participate in this festival.

This year, all Band and Chorus members will be required to wear black slacks/skirts and white button down shirts or polo’s for the concerts. Jazz Band already requires this and many other schools do, too. We think it looks very nice and gives the performers an added sense of unity. We want to give parents plenty of advance notice of this change.

We would like to start a "uniform bank" of slacks and shirts that families have outgrown to provide to students who need them. If you have such items, please drop off clean items in the music room, any time. If your child needs to borrow a uniform, please contact either Mrs. Porri or Miss Dotson to make arrangements, well in advance of the Dec. 10th Concert.