Resounding Success Within Vocal and Instrumental Programs
The talent that resounds within Hamden Hall’s vocal and instrumental programs was on display as far south as Florida recently, while 29 students back home scooped up coveted spots in the state’s Regional Honor Choir.
Hamden Hall sent its first-ever representative to the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) All-National Honor Choir at Disney's Coronado Springs in Orlando, Fla. Senior Emerson Katz-Justice was accompanied by Middle and Upper School Music teacher Matt Harrison. Emerson also made history last year when he was Hamden Hall’s inaugural representative to earn a spot in NAfME's All-Eastern Honor Choir. Over the summer he attended Boston University's Tanglewood Institute for young artists – another first for Hamden Hall musicians.
Meanwhile, upon arrival at the All-National Honor Choir event, Mr. Harrison soon learned that he had been recommended to accompany the choir on their piece, Consecrate the Place and Day, as conducted by Z. Randall Stroope.
“When I arrived at rehearsal on Monday, head chaperone, fellow Connecticut music educator, and good friend Amanda Hanzlik had recommended me to the national leadership team to play piano for the choir as they were in need of a second accompanist for one of Dr. Stroope's works. This was Monday, and the performance was on Tuesday,” explained Mr. Harrison.
Despite having never seen (or more importantly – practiced!) the music, and having only one day to rehearse, Mr. Harrison limbered up his ivory key-accomplished fingers and stepped up to the instrument.
“The difficulty level was worthy of our country's finest choral musicians. Music is an inherently collaborative endeavor; the best professional development for me is making music at the highest levels. This was truly a practice-what-you-preach moment as music literacy (and sight reading) is a central pillar of Hamden Hall's vocal music program,” he said.
A week or so earlier, Mr. Harrison received notice that Hamden Hall duplicated last year's historic representative mark for the number of students selected to the Connecticut Music Educators Association's Southern Regional Honor Choir. Twenty-nine students earned a spot to sing at Middletown High School in January and also earned an audition for Connecticut's All-State Honor Choir. In fact, out of 40 schools in the southern region, Hamden Hall earned the most choral seats for the third consecutive year.
“Our students deserve our warmest congratulations for their demonstrated excellence, resilience, and courage. A special shout out to junior Katalina Baehring who earned the top alto score in the region (196 out of a possible 198). Also, senior Charley Tiernan earned a special distinction as the first Hamden Hall student to make it to Southern Regional Honor Choir for all four of her upper school years,” maintained Mr. Harrison.
Hamden Hall’s Southern Regional Honor Choir members are: Sopranos Samantha Aitro, Rachel Aliwalas, Autumn Boyce, Mari Clark, Sophie Deshpande, Isabel Dunlap, Sophia Lawder-Gill, Aya Wazaz; Altos Katalina Baehring, Olivia Caldarella, Vedica Chopra, Christy Li, Di Lu, Charley Tiernan; Tenors Timi Afalalu, Maurice Barakat, Nate Bloom, Chris Izzo, Akash Jyothish, Parker Schultz, Todd Tan, Josh Torello; and Basses Ryan Cawley, Yoni Hirshfield, Emerson Katz-Justice, Ben Lovell, Andrew Neubauer, Eduardo Pagliaro-Haque, Darian Simerson.
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Hamden Hall sent its first-ever representative to the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) All-National Honor Choir at Disney's Coronado Springs in Orlando, Fla. Senior Emerson Katz-Justice was accompanied by Middle and Upper School Music teacher Matt Harrison. Emerson also made history last year when he was Hamden Hall’s inaugural representative to earn a spot in NAfME's All-Eastern Honor Choir. Over the summer he attended Boston University's Tanglewood Institute for young artists – another first for Hamden Hall musicians.
Meanwhile, upon arrival at the All-National Honor Choir event, Mr. Harrison soon learned that he had been recommended to accompany the choir on their piece, Consecrate the Place and Day, as conducted by Z. Randall Stroope.
“When I arrived at rehearsal on Monday, head chaperone, fellow Connecticut music educator, and good friend Amanda Hanzlik had recommended me to the national leadership team to play piano for the choir as they were in need of a second accompanist for one of Dr. Stroope's works. This was Monday, and the performance was on Tuesday,” explained Mr. Harrison.
Despite having never seen (or more importantly – practiced!) the music, and having only one day to rehearse, Mr. Harrison limbered up his ivory key-accomplished fingers and stepped up to the instrument.
“The difficulty level was worthy of our country's finest choral musicians. Music is an inherently collaborative endeavor; the best professional development for me is making music at the highest levels. This was truly a practice-what-you-preach moment as music literacy (and sight reading) is a central pillar of Hamden Hall's vocal music program,” he said.
A week or so earlier, Mr. Harrison received notice that Hamden Hall duplicated last year's historic representative mark for the number of students selected to the Connecticut Music Educators Association's Southern Regional Honor Choir. Twenty-nine students earned a spot to sing at Middletown High School in January and also earned an audition for Connecticut's All-State Honor Choir. In fact, out of 40 schools in the southern region, Hamden Hall earned the most choral seats for the third consecutive year.
“Our students deserve our warmest congratulations for their demonstrated excellence, resilience, and courage. A special shout out to junior Katalina Baehring who earned the top alto score in the region (196 out of a possible 198). Also, senior Charley Tiernan earned a special distinction as the first Hamden Hall student to make it to Southern Regional Honor Choir for all four of her upper school years,” maintained Mr. Harrison.
Hamden Hall’s Southern Regional Honor Choir members are: Sopranos Samantha Aitro, Rachel Aliwalas, Autumn Boyce, Mari Clark, Sophie Deshpande, Isabel Dunlap, Sophia Lawder-Gill, Aya Wazaz; Altos Katalina Baehring, Olivia Caldarella, Vedica Chopra, Christy Li, Di Lu, Charley Tiernan; Tenors Timi Afalalu, Maurice Barakat, Nate Bloom, Chris Izzo, Akash Jyothish, Parker Schultz, Todd Tan, Josh Torello; and Basses Ryan Cawley, Yoni Hirshfield, Emerson Katz-Justice, Ben Lovell, Andrew Neubauer, Eduardo Pagliaro-Haque, Darian Simerson.
Instrumentalists include: Jazz Ensemble Darian Simerson, guitar; Band Daniel Ostapenko, flute, George Guo, clarinet, Yuchen Yang, clarinet, Parker Schultz, alto sax, Trevor Schultz, alto sax, Ryan Zhang, tuba; Orchestra Galieen Andal, violin, Sage Giacomini, violin, Isabel Dunlap, cello (will participate in chorus), Eduardo Pagliaro-Haque, oboe.
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
