Information for the article was provided by Patrick Volker, Music Teacher at Scarborough High School and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
During the 2018–19 school year, 10 Maine Students, along with other accomplished music students across the United States and overseas in military base schools, will join the “best of the best” across the nation for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) 2019 All-National Honor Ensembles on November 7–10, 2019, at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The Maine students who received this distinguished honor are as follows:
2019 All-National Honor Ensembles, Concert Band Roster
- Katie Callahan, Alto Saxophone 2, Mt. Ararat High School, Topsham (Teacher: Ben Cox)
- Chase Whelan, Flute 2, Brunswick High School (Teacher: Mike Scarpone)
2019 All-National Honor Ensembles, Symphony Orchestra Roster
- Darien Gillespie, Oboe 2, Brunswick High School (Teacher: Mike Scarpone)
2019 All-National Honor Ensembles, Mixed Choir Roster
- Mirabella Driscoll, Alto 2, Brunswick High School (Teacher: Ashley Albert)
- Rachel Dumont, Soprano 1, Brunswick High School (Teacher: Ashley Albert)
- Toby Laber-Smith, Tenor 1, South Portland High School (Teacher: Michelle Snow)
- Hannah Liscord, Alto 1, Maranacook Community High School, Readfield (Teacher: Drew Albert)
- Sophie Patenaude, Soprano 2, Poland Regional High School (Teacher: Julia Edwards)
- Spencer Soule, Tenor 2, Richmond Middle/High School (Teacher: Virgil Bozeman IV)
- Cora Stewart, Alto 2, Scarborough High School (Teacher: Patrick Volker)
“I didn’t anticipate that I’d make it into Nationals- but the moment that I found out I did is one of the happiest moments of my entire life. This is one of the biggest opportunities I’ve had, and it’s an insane honor to even be invited to participate in such a talented choir. The music is fantastic, the director is amazing, and I know it’s going to be worth all the work I’ve put into it,” said Cora Stewart who will be joining the Mixed Choir Ensemble representing Scarborough High School.
The All-National Honor Ensembles performers represent collaboration and creativity in its highest musical form. Students were chosen through a rigorous audition process. The concert band and symphony orchestra will each have 119 and 121 instrumentalists respectively, the jazz ensemble 20 instrumentalists, the mixed choir 240 vocalists, the guitar ensemble 41 instrumentalists, and the modern band 16 performers.
“I could not be more proud of [Cora’s] her accomplishments in music and I am very excited to hear this concert,” said Patrick Volker, Cora’s music teacher.
Selected students will be rehearsing a challenging repertoire in preparation for performing under the direction of six of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Tesfa Wondemagegnehu (Mixed Choir); Soo Han (Symphony Orchestra); Emily Threinen (Concert Band); Todd Stoll with Camille Thurman (Jazz Ensemble); Bill Swick (Guitar Ensemble); and Scott Burstein (Modern Band). All conductors have received top honors in their field and will spend several days rehearsing with students before the concert.
Names, schools and states, as well as music directors, of the All-National Honor Ensemble students are available on the NAFME Website.