By Sarah Opdahl

Dozens of talented middle school students in New Fairfield and Sherman are excited to have recently been accepted into the prestigious Western Regional Music Program. Highly competitive, the program is run by the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA). The state is split into directional zones and both towns fall in the western category.

Studying under Chris Carlone at The Sherman School and Jessica Pratt, Stacey Ogden, Jack Giuliano, and Joseph Gallant at New Fairfield Middle School, the students spend months preparing for their auditions. Carlone shared, “Students worked hard to prepare in class and on their own” though they had their share of challenges. “This year is particularly troubling because it is a construction year for the school, we have to bus the kids to Charter Hall three times a week to have a space for them to perform as an ensemble,” but despite the hurdles, “the students are doing wonderfully,” he said. He went on, “I teach them the etude and their required scales and how to sight-read music. I do private lessons and sectionals with many students, too.”

In New Fairfield, Pratt, who serves as the NFMS Band Director, said, “students who were auditioning were able to work on their audition materials during their pull-out band lesson. Additionally, I offered WRMS audition practice on Friday mornings before school for two months prior to the audition days.” As an extra practice, Band students were then able to participate in a mock-audition with New Fairfield High School’s band director Casey Hounsell, “so that they had practice with the audition format before the actual event,” Pratt explained. Ogden, NFMS Music Teacher said, “For chorus, I had all singers learn the audition songs in class and used them as the audition songs for the Treble Rebels. As WRMS auditions grew closer I had extra rehearsals during lunch and after school and a mock audition for students to practice the full audition process and get feedback using the WRMS rubric.”

Students who were accepted into Western Regionals include: Sherman: Imogen Osborn, 8^th grade, Flute, Band; Adleigh Yagid, 8^th grade, Alto Sax, band; Levi Yagid, 6^th grade, Alto Sax, band; Jon Gassmann, 8^th grade, trumpet, band; Cameron Baird, 7^th grade, Clarinet, band; Rylie Bonner, 6^th grade, Soprano, chorus; Gabriella DeSalvo, 7^th grade, Clarinet, band; Marina Dickey, 7^th grade, Alto, chorus; Coeli Grasseler, 7^th grade, Trombone, band; Kyra Matusow-Pransky, 8^th grade, Trumpet, band; Patrick Merkel, 7^th grade, Trumpet, band; Zoe Neill, 7^th grade, flute, band; Erin Palancia, 7^th grade, flute, band; Addison Ribisl, 8^th grade, Clarinet, band; Madison Rondini, 7^th grade, flute, band; Amber Schutz, 7^th grade, Soprano, chorus; Garrett Stilson, 7^th grade, trumpet, band; Isabella Styranko, 8^th grade, Clarinet, band; Maddy Vinson, 7^th grade, Soprano, chorus; Laila Jefferies, 8^th grade, Alto, chorus. NFMS: Juliana Sibio Soprano, Chorus, 6th grade; Madigan Lynas Alto, Chorus, 6th grade; Brandon Reed, Alto, Chorus, 7th grade; Laney Kuntze, Soprano, Chorus, 8th grade; AJ Yorio, Alto, Chorus, 8th grade; Julia Noszczyk, Flute, Band, 7th grade; and Gianna Gentile, Violin, Orchestra, 8th grade.

Carlone remarked that there were “45 auditions and 20 unique students made it into regionals with over 25 scores above the cut off.” Pratt remarked that “As a faculty member, I make sure that each student auditioning understands the audition requirements and that they have the necessary materials to be successful in their preparation. The music is on a 3-year rotation so I’ve taught this solo before. I also go over the rubric that CMEA uses to assess the students. I’m very familiar with the rubric as I serve yearly as a judge for both middle and high school festivals.” While Ogden shared, “my biggest role is to make sure the students are prepared and feel confident about their audition. I give them as much time with the material as possible, as well as help them choose the best song for their voice (they have their choice of 2 solos each year). I am regularly in contact with both the students and families so that they know what to expect.”

All accepted students are now preparing, both individually and as a group, for a festival that will occur on the weekend of March 6 & 7 at Sacred Heart University. Carlone explained  that “the CMEA Western Regionals festival is such a wonderful program because it allows the students an opportunity to play with other high-level students under renowned instructors. Since we send a large group of students, I always find the level of musicianship is heightened after regionals for our group.” Carlone was formerly the event’s Jazz Chair for three years, but he recently stepped down to help with the CMEA audition process. He also runs sectionals to help prepare the students. Truthfully, “It is an exhausting weekend but so worth it for both faculty and students from our side of CT. The performance is always incredible,” he said.

Pratt noted that, during the festival, she helps with chaperoning, moving equipment, and assisting students. “This year, I will be presenting during the director’s meeting that happens every year. I am on the committee to revise the middle school audition requirements, and we will be presenting our work at that time. Most of my involvement with the festival happens on the judging side on the audition day.” While Ogden said she often runs sectionals, organizes kids, and basically helps keep an eye on things throughout. The two educators stated that they enjoy watching the growth the kids make in the short time frame of the festival. Pratt also “takes notes on the different things the conductor has the students do – activities, instructional methods, etc. for use with my own students.” Ogden noted that she is happy to connect with other music directors from the area.

All of the teachers are exceedingly proud of their students’ successes, with Ogden seeing them as “leveling up their skills in so many ways; auditioning, receiving and applying feedback, working independently for a common goal, and overall musicianship.” Pratt said of their overall Western Regionals experience, “My biggest focus for my students this year is on using actionable feedback. The students who auditioned this year were auditioning with the goal of receiving actionable feedback from professionals on their instruments – making the ensemble was the ‘icing on the cake.’” And Carlone is taking the year in stride, with the Western Regionals showing and participation as a major highlight. Overarchingly, “Our program hasn’t skipped a beat, despite the construction challenges. We recently performed at a Danbury Hat Tricks game on Ice, and last year we were awarded a Platinum rating at Fantastic Festivals with a top 3 finish. Last year we also were one of two middle school bands in the nation chosen to perform at National Association for Music Education’s All-Eastern Festival in Hartford, CT which was a huge deal and very cool.”