Each year, thousands of student musicians from all over New York State compete for the opportunity to be selected for the NYSSMA Conference All-State Music Ensembles. Only a very small percentage of those who audition are granted the honor of participating in this prestigious event. Students who are accepted will perform with the best high school musicians from across New York State, and under the baton of some of the finest conductors in our country. We are proud to announce that four students from the Guilderland Central School District Music Department were recognized for their exemplary performances, including:
- Morgan Dempsey, Mixed Chorus
- Aidan Doyle, Instrumental Jazz
- Grace Leininger, Symphonic Band
- Vivian Redmond, Symphony Orchestra
This year, instead of spending four days rehearsing in Rochester with gifted students from across the state, students will rehearse with their conductors online, culminating in a virtual performance. Admission to these highly selective groups is usually based upon the score received the previous spring during the NYSSMA Solo Evaluation Festival, where each student performs before a certified adjudicator who carefully evaluates every aspect of their performance. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NYSSMA Solo Festivals were canceled in the spring, so NYSSMA elected to use students’ scores from the previous year to fill out this year’s ensembles.
Congratulations to all the musicians, their teachers, and parents on this outstanding accomplishment!