Brookfield High School Sends Two Students to All States

The Brookfield High School Administration proudly announced this spring that it will be sending two BHS students to the Connecticut All State high school music festival. The All State Music Festival is run by the Connecticut Music Educators’ Association (CMEA)—an organization of all the music educators in the state. CMEA hosts four regional festivals (Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western) and one All-State festival each year. Senior Grant Abelson and freshman Alexandra Fitzgerald each won honors to both the Regionals as well as to the All State Festival through a rigorous audition process over the course of the 2014 – 2015 school year.

This past fall, Regional auditions were open to all Connecticut high school students who participate in jazz band, chorus, symphony band or orchestra. Each auditioning student must practice and perform a challenging solo piece as well as demonstrating excellence at sight-reading and scales and arpeggios. Students receive scores from several adjudicators, and an overall cut-off score is then determined. Those who are at or above the cut-off score are selected for participation in one of four regional festivals.

To accomplish All State Festival honors, only the students who made Regionals are then eligible to audition for the All-State Festival—a much more demanding audition. The purpose of the All State auditions is to select Connecticut’s highest skilled high school musicians. Cut-off score for band, jazz band, chorus and orchestra are determined - typically significantly higher than the Regional cut-off - and the best music students from around the state are selected. These students spend three days at the Hartford Marriott and Connecticut Convention Center learning advanced repertoire under the direction of renowned conductors from all around the United States.

These students are taught and mentored by the outstanding music staff in the Brookfield School District: Margaret Fitzgerald for HHES and the District and Stephen St. Georges for the High School Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and music program. Alexandra Fitzgerald is also entering her fourth year of studies in music theory, ear training, chamber music, orchestral studies, and private violin lessons at the New School University in New York City, through the Mannes College of Music. Alexandra has been playing the violin since her fourth birthday.

Annually, both the Regional Festival and the All State Festival are wonderful opportunities to hear Connecticut’s most talented high school musicians and these events are open to the public. Tickets can be purchased the day of the concert at the door or through the CMEA website. The Regional event is typically in November. The All State event is typically in late April or by the first weekend in May.