13 JHS music students head to All-State Festival

Posted

Bang the drums and sound the trumpets, Johnston High School’s music students now rank among the best in Rhode Island.

On Nov. 19, more than 2,000 high school music students ascended upon Moses Brown School in Providence and auditioned for the Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) All-State Ensembles for a concert that will be held on March 19 at The Vets in Providence. The concert will feature conductors from around the country.

Last week, JHS Music Department Chairman Ronald Lamoureux learned the results, and Monday announced, “We are proud that we’ll be sending 13 students to the All-State Music Festival…this is the largest cohort of students being sent to the All-State Festival in Johnston High School history.”

Dr. Bernard DiLullo, superintendent of Johnston Schools, came to Cherry Hill Monday to personally congratulate the 13 students for their newfound fame and extraordinary achievements.

“I’m proud of the talented students who were recognized by the RIMEA,” DiLullo said while chatting with JHS Principal Dennis Morrell and Lamoureux. “The students worked hard to develop their skills as musicians and duly honored as all-state musicians.”

The Superintendent then praised JHS music teachers Lamoureux, Oliver Reid and Matt Gingras, whom he emphasized “instill the love of music in all their students. The end product is our talented band and chorus performers.”

The 13 all-state musicians, as well as 200-plus students, will take the stage inside the school’s auditorium next Thursday, Dec. 8, for JHS Music Department’s Winter Concert, scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

“This promises to be another exciting chapter in JHS music history,” Lamoureux said. “Our select choir, concert chorus and band will present winter and holiday favorites and they’ll do so dressed in tuxedos and performance gowns thanks to the Johnston High School Music Association’s uniform initiative that began several years ago.”

Though Lamoureux is the principal conductor of the band and Gingras leads the chorus groups, the two directors will share conducting duties for the concert. Lamouruex will conduct “The Twelve Songs of Christmas” for the concert chorus and Gingras will conduct “Bashana H’Aba Ah” with the band. Reed will lead the Select Choir.

“Things are really looking up for [our] high school music department,” Lamoureux noted. “It’s all thanks to the administration, specifically Dr. [Bernard] DiLullo and the support of [principal] Dennis Morrell that we are able to add a third teacher to our department.”

Last year, Lamoureux and Reid met with DiLullo to discuss the need for another teacher at the high school to avoid turning away throngs of students.”

These meetings resulted in the addition of courses in music production, piano and guitar. Lamoureux said, “The music room has been flooded with a really broad clientele.”

Lamoureux added, “We’re really trying to build a music department that caters to interests of the entire student body, not just the traditional base of band and chorus kids. The tactic has apparently worked. The addition of choral specialist was made this year, and the three teachers are reaching out to each and every student at JHS.”

As Lamoureux, Reid and Gingras concurred, the high school, so often known for prowess on the athletic fields and courts, has broken a different kind of record with the record-setting number of students selected to participate in the RIMEA All-State Festival.

Reid noted, “We got the good news just before Thanksgiving and couldn’t be happier; this more than doubles Johnston’s best showing to this date.”

Lamoureux then added, “We always knew that our kids were great, but we just need to be able to give them the time and instruction they need to compete with kids from around the state.”

The three JHS music teachers, as well as DiLullo, said music education starts at the middle school level and they showered Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School music teachers Patrici Aubin and Thomas Conlon for their extraordinary efforts.

“We are just starting to build what is going to be a monumental and lasting legacy here at JHS,” Lamoureux said. “We encourage people to take in our winter concert that will showcase some of the best music students in all of our state.”

The complete 13-student list of All-State Festival selections is Junior All-State Orchestra: Anthony Andriole, Grade 9, French Horn; Senior All-State Orchestra: Benjamin Budway, Grade 11, Clarinet and Jordan Pena, Grade 12, Trombone; Senior All-State Wind Ensemble: Rachel Carson, Grade 11, Bass Clarinet; Sophia DaCosta, Grade 12, French Horn; and Edward DiLorenzo III, Grade 12, French Horn.

Also, Senior Woman’s Choir: Isabella Batista, Grade 12, Alto; and Emily Gaye, Grade 11, Alto; Senior Mixed Choir: Sarah Banno, Grade 12, Alto; Dante Masi, Grade 12, Bass; Madison Paolucci, Grade 11, Soprano; Lauren Papa, Grade 11, Alto; and Hillary Rogers, Grade 12, Alto.

Cutlines on sheets slugged 11-28-16 1906

MUSIC 1 IMG 5083

TALENTED TROUPE:

A special ceremony was held Monday at Johnston High School. Dr. Bernard DiLullo and Principal Dennis Morrell congratulated 13 students who were selected for All-State Music Festival Concert. The students, seated from left to right, are Rachel Carson, Sophia DaCosta, Emily Gaye, Sarah Banno, Isabella Batista and Lauren Papa; (top) Dennis Morrell, Dr. DiLullo, Edward DiLorenzo III, Anthony Andriole, Hillary Rogers, Jordan Pena, Benjamin Budway and teachers Ronald Lamoureux, and Matthew Gingras. (Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine)

 

Cutline for pix on sheet slugged 11-29-16 11-29-16

MUSIC 2 IMG 5088

DYNAMIC DUO:

Johnston High music teacher Oliver Reid joins Dante Masi, a senior who recently received word he has been selected for the All-State Music Festival in March.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here