By: Nora Warner
Photo credit: Mrs Neenan
PMEA festival season has begun! Last week, 18 students from Wallenpaupack represented the district at the PMEA District 9 Choir Festival from January 7th through the 9th at Valley View High School. To receive this honor, students submitted recorded auditions and were selected as one of the top 20 students in their voice part. This was a record-breaking year for Wallenpaupack as we sent the most students from one school to the festival and the most students Mrs. Neenan has sent in her career at Wallenpaupack.
The participants from our school were:
Back (l to r): Bradley Miehle, Nathan Freethy, Carlos Urgiles, Kristian Nistad, Gabriel Racine, Brayden Hoffmann, Hunter Sasala, Winnifred Morrison, Vivian Yetter, Molly McGinnis.
Front (l to r): Ivy Yetter, Alan Fogelsanger, Joseph Tighe, Cali Mazzga, Genevieve Neenan, Nora Warner, Sara Kovacs, Maya Walek
Students from many schools in our area joined together to perform a program of pieces under the direction of Mr. John Michael Vaida. Mr. Vaida is a regionally renowned former choral director at Wyoming Seminary, Marywood University, and Wilkes University. He has worked with many collegiate and international choirs throughout his career.
On Wednesday evening, students arrived at the festival and completed their auditions for selection into regional choir. During auditions, students perform excerpts from the concert program in a cappella and are blind judged on categories including tone, pitch accuracy, pronunciation, and rhythm. To qualify for the regional choir, students must place in the top 10 on their voice part. Wallenpaupack will be sending the following 12 students to regions (listed alphabetically and by voice part):
Ivy Yetter, Sara Kovacs, Nora Warner, Molly McGinnis, Genevieve Neenan, Carlos Urgiles, Nathan Freethy, Joseph Tighe, Brayden Hoffmann, Kristian Nistad, Hunter Sasala, and Gabriel Racine.
Additionally, congratulations to Genevieve (1st place Alto 2), Nora (2nd place Alto 1), Sara (3rd place Alto 1) and Hunter (3rd place Bass 1) on their top 3 finishes.
Region Choir will take place February 18th-20th at Northwest Area Highschool.
Thursday and Friday were filled with rehearsals to prepare for the concert. On Thursday evening, students had the opportunity to enjoy and participate in a cabaret performance. The Wallenpaupack Barbershop group (Nathan Freethy, Kristian Nistad, Joseph Tighe, and Carlos Urgiles) was featured.
On Friday night, the choir performed their concert. The program included many classic choral pieces, works in German and Italian, and pieces featuring both Treble and Bass voices. Wallenpaupack student Kristian Nistad was selected as the soloist for the Tenor and Bass piece. Students enjoyed the opportunity to learn and make music with students from our area. Congratulations to these students for their accomplishments and representing our school!
