40th Annual Borough Music Festival at Naugatuck High School (Photos)

By Nancy Sasso Janis

Naugatuck Public School held Naugatuck’s 40th Annual Borough Music Festival on Tuesday. Parents and friends were invited to celebrate music with the choral ensembles of borough music students in grade four through 12.

The concert began with selected grade four students singing three musical numbers. “Together Again,” arranged by high school music teacher Emanuel Arboleda.

The fourth grade singers also performed “Big Dreams” and the uplifting “Encourage One Another.”

The ensemble was directed by elementary school music teachers Joseph Chesnas, Era Lloga, and Robert Trosan.

Students from grades five and six then joined the fourth graders to perform the two-part “Tuimbe” by David Waggoner.

Then the fifth and sixth grade students performed “The Moon” by Andy Beck, accompanied by piano. They followed this with an acapella version of “Obwisana,” a Ghanaian folk song arranged by Victor C. Johnson.

Students in grades five through eight then performed “Gaudeamus Hodie,” written by Natalie Sleeth, accompanied by a four handed piano arrangement.

The intermediate school music teachers are Catherine Lungarini, Jennifer Lucas and Robert Hackett. The middle school students are taught music by Dawn Marie Conroy and Alec Smith.

The Naugatuck High School Chamber Singers, joined by some invited eighth grade students, performed “Cool Moon,” by Richard Williamson and the memorable “Witness,” a four part arrangement by Jack Halloran. The Chamber Singers are directed by Jennifer Fatone.

Students in grade 7 through 12 performed together on “Oye la Musica” by Jay Althouse and “Let the River Run” by Craig Hella Johnson. The high school students study music with Jennifer Fatone, Emanuel Arboleda, and Dylan McCarthy. Mark Focarile accompanied the students on piano.

The concert ended with all of the students, on the stage and in the house, joining together on the joyous “Why We Sing” by Greg Gilpin. Mrs. Lungarini directed from a spot in the center of the lower orchestra seats.

Special thanks to the parents, guardians, and teachers of our music students for their continuous support of the arts.

All photos by Nancy Sasso Janis