Radnor HS Junior Performs With All-National Honor Ensembles

RADNOR, PA – A Radnor High School musical standout recently earned the honor to play with students from 49 states and territories in with the National Association for Music Education's (NAfME) 2017 All-National Honor Ensembles.

Radnor High School junior Alexandra "Sasha" joined 608 high school students from 49 states and territories in a performance at a gala concert at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida on Nov. 29, according to the Radnor Township School District.

"[He] has a passion for music and a determination to improve her skills as a cellist," RHS orchestra director Tatyana Oksyuk said in a statement. "I am very proud of all of her achievements and for being selected to the All-National Honor Ensembles. She brightens everyone's day when she starts to play."

He plays in the school’s orchestra under the direction of Oksyuk and studies privately with Ohad Bar-David of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

She has soloed with various orchestras, including the Rose Tree Pops Orchestra, Old York Road Symphony, and Delaware County Symphony, the district said.

This spring, He will appear with the Main Line Symphony and Ambler Symphony. She was also recently named a 2018 YoungArts Foundation Merit winner.

The All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir and jazz ensemble, according to the district.

Students were chosen through an audition process.

The concert band and symphony orchestra had 155 and 152 instrumentalists, respectively, the jazz ensemble 21 instrumentalists, and the mixed chorus 281 vocalists.

Eligible students have qualified for their state-level honor ensemble program and competed against top students for a spot in these ensembles.

According to the district, selected students rehearsed a challenging repertoire in preparation for performing under the baton of five of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Dr. Z. Randall Stroope (Mixed Choir); Dr. Margery Deutsch (Symphony Orchestra); Dr. T. André Feagin (Concert Band); and Todd Stoll with Lauren Sevian (Jazz Ensemble).

All conductors have received top honors in their field and spent several days rehearsing with students before the concert.

The National Association for Music Education, among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. For more than a century, NAfME has advocated at the local, state, and national levels; provided resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosted professional development events; and offered a variety of opportunities for students and teachers.

Congratulations, Sasha!

Pictured above are Tatyana Oksyuk and Sasha He

Image via Radnor Township School District