HHS Music Department is Superior Five Times Over

It doesn’t take a judge’s assessment or a City Council proclamation for Havre de Grace residents to understand the quality of their high school music program.

But the Havre de Grace High School Music Department is getting the praise anyway.

Five Havre de Grace ensembles were awarded “straight superior” ratings at last month’s County Assessment Festivals, held at Havre de Grace High School.

The symphonic band and a combined ensemble of the ninth grade and concert bands were both awarded straight superior ratings March 10. The chamber singers and the women’s ensemble brought home perfect scores for the choral side of the department on March 15. The orchestra completed the sweep March 17.

To his knowledge, band director Richard Hauf believes the five straight superior ratings is a first in Harford County Public Schools history.

“Our students are extremely excited,” Hauf said. “They realize they pulled something off that hasn’t happened before.”

The music department will be recognized with a proclamation at tonight’s City Council meeting.

“It’s just the third time in my entire career any of my groups have had a superior rating,” Hauf said.

Next up for Havre de Grace’s talented student-musicians is the Maryland High School Festival/Assessments at Morgan State from April 26-30.

“We’re curious if any other school in the state will have five ensembles to qualify,” Hauf said.

A spokesperson for the Maryland Music Educators Association said Monday the participants for this month’s event were still being finalized.

The Havre de Grace music department has long been one of—if not the—best in Harford County. Hauf said this year’s group had the right mindset.

“I think the music for all of our ensembles, the music fit the group very well,” Hauf said. “There was a great connection, which allowed all of our students to dig into the music. There was also a real determination to make something like this happen. There was a real desire.”

The timely news that Havre de Grace could attract a magnet program for performing arts played a role in the renewed energy in the days leading up to the county assessments.

“It hasn’t always been an easy road. I think that may get lost sometimes in all the success,” Hauf said. “But, like most things in life, it doesn’t come easy. It doesn’t come without some bumps along the way, and we were able to persevere through that.”

Hauf has utilized student-teachers in recent years, thanks to a partnership with the University of Delaware. Currently, Anthony Covelli is assisting with instrumental music, and Alyssa Regan with chorus.

“We’ll bring in some outside people to work with our students. The band director at the University of Delaware came down to help our students get ready [for county assessments],” Hauf said. “The students have really put themselves through a lot.”

The county assessment includes four judges—three of whom listen to a prepared program. Ensembles are allowed a warm-up that is not judged before performing two judged pieces.

Then, students are taken into another room and judged on a separate piece, which they are asked to site-read—perform a piece from sheet music that they’ve never seen before.

“They have to have a real, firm foundation on all of the fundamentals,” Hauf said.

All told, of the judges to see Havre de Grace students, 20 turned in ratings. And 20 were superior.

“It wasn’t even really close,” Hauf said. “They’re giving you written feedback, but as you’re playing, they’re talking into a digital recorder and you can listen back and pick up on their comments. There are plenty areas of improvement we have to hit. All of our groups can and will get better. We’re not at all of the feeling that that’s the greatest performance we can give.”