Eleven Ludlow High School band and chorus students were recognized at Westfield State University on Nov. 9 as some of the most talented musicians in the district with their acceptance into the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Western District Music Festival to be held Jan. 4 and 11, 2014.
Of the 21 Ludlow students who auditioned the following were accepted: seniors Brandon Nowakowski, Tomas Fialho, and Thom Yagmin, juniors Hayden Adams, Ian Rouillard and Audra Smith, and freshmen Casey Banville, Kyle LaFleur, Tyler Nowakowski, Madeleine Pereira, and Elizabeth Rodio.
“All of the students who auditioned from both the band and chorus represented Ludlow well and put their best effort into their audition,” said band teacher Kevin McAvoy. “It’s a nerve wracking event to say the least, but the musicians from Ludlow did a great job.”
To audition, band students had to perform a prepared piece, sight-read and play scales in front of two judges. To add to the pressure, they were competing against 700 other students.
For All-District, students will perform at a two-day festival at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, along with 400 other musicians. McAvoy said that the Ludlow students will perform with and learn from the most gifted musicians in Western Massachusetts.
For senior Brandon Nowakowski, a saxophonist who plans to continued his music career in college, this is an opportunity to practice his auditioning skills.
“I am proud of myself for being accepted to perform at the concert,” says Nowakowski, “it is rewarding to see the preparation pay off.”
McAvoy said that eight of those 11 students also achieved high enough scores at All-District to receive an invitation to audition for the Massachusetts All-State Music Festival on Jan. 25, 2014, at Shrewsbury High School.
If the students are accepted, from March 20 to 22 the musicians will rehearse at the World Trade Center in Boston and perform at the Boston Symphony Hall.
To be given the opportunity to audition for All-State, band and chorus students must perform in the top 50% of those accepted into All-District.
