Record-Number of Vocalists to Compete at All-State Festival

Hamden Hall’s music program continues to garner statewide attention and success as a record-breaking number of choral students once again earned spots to compete at the Connecticut Music Educators’ All-State Music Festival.

Eighteen students have qualified following attendance and auditions at the Southern Region High School Festival last month. Since 2015, the number of choral students selected to attend the festival has increased with this year out-ranking 2019 during which 14 students qualified.

“Singing continues to thrive at Hamden Hall and our student accomplishments are symbolic of how our supportive community continues to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow,” said Middle and Upper School music teacher Matthew Harrison. “I am proud of all of our vocalists, and I am proud of the culture of singing that is celebrated at Hamden Hall.”

The choral students selected to compete include sopranos Analiese Driscoll 2023, Vaani Chopra 2023, Helen Chen 2022, Chloe Curtiss 2022, Casey Armstrong 2024, Julia Davies 2022, Vanessa Torre 2022, and Grace Wan 2023. Altos Gabriela Rosen 2022, Sophie Schonberger 2022, Ashley Hu 2022, Georgia Yu 2022, and Candice Yang 2023. Tenor Cooper DeGirolomo 2023, Jacob Schonberger 2025, and Leonard Mao 2024. Bass Monte Meng 2024 and Justinian Ding 2023.

Mr. Harrison further noted that out of the four voice parts-soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, Hamden Hall earned the top scores in two vocal categories. Junior Cooper DeGirolomo received a perfect score of 198 and sophomore Monte Meng scored 196/198. Additionally, a few students are multi-year all-state representatives including seniors Helen Chen, Gabriela Rosen, and Sophie Schonberger; and juniors Vaani Chopra, Cooper DeGirolomo, and Justinian Ding.

The All-State Festival will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford on Thursday, March 31 to Saturday, April 2.