The Tyrone Area School District is gearing up to host the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 6 Chorus Festival scheduled for February 1 through February 4.
PMEA consists of 12 districts throughout the state of Pennsylvania which combine to make six regions.
Area students qualified for the District Chorus Festival through their placement at the District Chorus Selections Audition that was held in October. Over 500 students auditioned for the 171 places in the District Chorus. The choir consists students from the 36 high schools from Blair, Bedford, Somerset and Cambria counties.
TASD qualifying students are: Soprano II: Sofia Revolorio, Sara Fink and Sarah Dane; Alto I: Jessica Templeton, Courtney Russell and Alexis Pazmino; Alto II: Mary Raffetto, Stevie Woodring and Ashley Turnbaugh; Tenor I: Garrett Ray; Tenor II: Chris Sipe; Bass I: Evan Kost and Josh Shaffer; Bass II: Jonathan Harris and director: Catherine J. Young.
According to organizers, the community of Tyrone will be hosting this prestigious festival as a community; it is not just a school event. Student participants from area schools will stay with host families throughout the community, with Tyrone Area Middle School chorus teacher, Laura Harris as the host chairperson.
According to Tyrone Area High School music teacher, Catherine J. Young, “The Tyrone Area School District and community are extremely proud to host the PMEA District 6 Chorus Festival once again. It truly is inspirational to witness the level of talent, dedication to excellence, and accomplishments that these young musicians so readily demonstrate. It is our hope that all participating students, directors and audience members will return to their own schools with a renewed passion for music.”
On the evening of Wednesday, February 1, auditions for ranking and placement for Region III will take place, and the top 12 places/chairs of each section will advance.
Thursday and Friday the students will rehearse on stage from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the directors will attend in-service workshops.
Also on Friday, there will be a student party with the theme of “PMEA Singing Idol” and coffee house.
On Saturday, the students will rehearse in the morning to prepare for a 1 p.m. concert for the public in the auditorium. The event will feature a brass group performance before the concert beginning at 12:40 p.m. The doors are scheduled to open at noon, with adult ticket prices at $5 a person and student tickets at $3 a person.
The gate receipts support the festivals and are used for a District 6 scholarship awarded to a student studying Music Education.
The PMEA State President, Nora Burridge of Philadelphia, will be attending as a special speaker. Dr. William N. Miller will welcome the audience before the concert.
The guest conductor will be Dr. Philip Silvey.
Dr. Silvey was a substitute for Mrs. Young at TAHS during her year-sabbatical in 1991 where he had former band director, Kris Laird, now PMEA District 6 President, as a student.
“The Tyrone Area School District and community are extremely proud to host the PMEA District 6 Chorus Festival once again. It truly is inspirational to witness the level of talent, dedication to excellence, and accomplishments that these young musicians so readily demonstrate.”
Catherine J. Young
TASD music teacher
