Community Corner
Music Students Will Represent Parkland At National Conference
The All-Eastern Honors Ensembles Conference will be March 31-April 3 in Baltimore.
- Names: Rachael Hendricks, Ellen Choi, Reno Kriz, Alina Spiegel, Meg Stefanowicz, Morgan Reilly, Nicholas Roehler, Josh Rice and Curtis Rabe
- School: Parkland High School
- Greatest Accomplishment: Combined, too many to mention. As Whiz Kids, being chosen to represent Parkland in the 52nd Annual Music Educators National Conference Eastern Division All-Eastern Honors Ensembles Conference March 31-April 3 in Baltimore. They will split up and rehearse as band, orchestra and choral groups, then perform in three concerts: the All-Eastern Jazz Ensemble with Sherri Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra at 8 p.m. April 2 at the Baltimore Convention Center; and in two concerts April 3, combined band and orchestra at 12:30 p.m. and choral at 3 p.m. in the auditorium at Morgan State University. They are nine of just 650 chorus, orchestra and band students from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, the District of Columbia -- and Europe -- selected to participate and perform during the conference. Accompanying them will be choral director Frank Anoni, band director Jason Lerew and choral director Karen Creeden.
- Key to Awesomeness: They’re not just a bunch of music “geeks.” Each and every one of them is involved other school activities as well. Rachael, a senior headed to Penn State this fall, is the drum major for the school’s marching band. Ellen, a senior, also plays bass guitar in the Parkland Jazz Ensemble. Reno, a junior, is a member of the boys’ volleyball team. Alina, a senior, is described as a “Jill of All Trades” because she’s not only a violinist and vocalist, but a member of the Debate Team and Odyssey of the Mind as well. Meg, a senior whose interests also include theater (she performed in the school’s fall 2011 play “The Noise is Off”), is attending West Chester University in fall. Morgan, who plans to enter either Berkeley or NYU this year, was the leading lady in the school production of “Aida,” a role which landed her Freddy Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and Outstanding Solo Vocal Performance in 2010 , and for Outstanding Featured Performance by an Actress in “Godspell” in 2009. Nick, also a senior, is an accomplished pianist who was chosen to accompany the All-State Chorus in 2010. Josh, a sophomore, also has theatrical talent, and was nominated for Freddy Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role his portrayal of Radames in “Aida” in 2010 and as Jesus in “Godspell” in 2009. Curtis, a junior, is also active in Boy Scouts and is a member of the boys’ soccer team.
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