Jonathan Law Student Receives Big Honor

Written by Kathy Bonetti, Milford Public Schools spokeswoman

MILFORD – Kruttika Gopal, a senior at Jonathan Law High School and soprano vocalist in the school’s choir, has been named to the All-National Honors Ensemble, a recognition bestowed by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). As a member of this elite national student choir, Kruttika will travel to Orlando, Florida in November to perform in a national concert, along with honorees from 49 states and territories from across the United States. A total of 550 vocalists have been asked to participate in this national event. Kruttika is one of only 13 students from Connecticut.

To prepare for the national concert, Kruttika will spend time rehearsing a challenging repertoire of material with the final rehearsals conducted in Orlando the week prior to the concert, under the guidance and direction of prominent choir director Dr. Amanda Quist (Assoc. Professor, Rider University).

Acceptance to the All-National Honors Ensemble marks the final stage of a year-long process for Kruttika. Initially, she was required to prepare and audition at the regional level of competition, conducted by the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) and performed in a 2-day festival, along with other candidates. From there, Kruttika was invited to audition and participate in an All-State Honors 3-day festival in Hartford. As the final step, she submitted a recording to the All-National competition, resulting in a spot on this esteemed national ensemble.

Ms. Gopal is an avid member of the advanced vocal ensemble at Law, and serves as the manager of the school’s chorus board. This fall, she will be inducted to the Tri-M Honor Society, a nationally recognized honor society for musicians.