Haines High School musicians received superior ratings for their performances at the Southeast Regional Spring Music Festival in Sitka last week.
Twenty members of the Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Men’s Choir performed as ensembles and individuals, joining students from Juneau, Sitka, Wrangell, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Klawock, Craig and Metlakatla at the three-day festival.
Out of three solos and one duet from Haines, three received superior ratings, said music director Jason Muccino.
Singers Madeline Andriesen and Dylan Palmieri, both seniors, received a superior rating for “Sound the Trumpet.” Andriesen received a superior rating for her solo “O Mio Bambino Cara.”
Senior Alyx Habra, singing at her first Alaskan festival, also was awarded a superior rating for her rendition of “Queen of the Night” by Mozart and was asked to sing in a command performance for more than 600 people.
“I don’t get a lot of chances to sing in front of that many people,” Habra said. “It was nice to see so much support and people jump up when I finished singing.”
Senior Rachel Haas performed Gershwin’s “Summertime.”
In the large ensemble portion of the festival, two of three judges awarded the Haines Concert Choir with a superior rating. Jazz Band and Men’s Choir also performed several pieces.
Muccino said he enjoyed seeing the students work together and to see what’ss happening in other music programs in Southeast.
“I was expecting good things and good things happened,” Muccino said.
The musicians will perform again at their spring concerts next month. Grades 5-12 will perform at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 at the Chilkat Center. Grades K-4 will follow on May 10.