Several students from Fox Chapel Area School District were selected to perform in the junior high chorus, junior high band and senior high orchestra festivals for District 1 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

District 1 includes schools from Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

• Dorseyville Middle School eighth graders Emily Shaw and Divya Thirumala performed with the junior high chorus Feb. 9 at Seton Hill University. The chorus showcased about 150 students from 51 schools. The festival’s guest conductor was Dr. Mike Boyle, director of choral activities at Seton Hill. Emily and Divya are active in Dorseyville’s choral program, participating in the honors choir and serving the group as section leaders.

• Four Dorseyville Middle School students were selected by committee to perform with the junior high band Feb. 16 at Yough Intermediate Middle School. They are eighth graders Ethan Beresik (trombone), Annabel Berkowitz (bassoon) and Claire Lesnik (trumpet) and seventh grader Leah Sparks (tenor saxophone). The band was comprised of about 105 of the region’s most talented musicians from seventh through ninth grades. The concert was directed by Chad Heiny, a freelance musician, educator and composer residing in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

• Eleven Fox Chapel Area High School students were selected by application to perform with the senior high orchestra. They are seniors Amelia Costello (violin), Elijah Herzer (clarinet), Chloe Kim (clarinet), Jacob Milgrub (cello) and Bridget Yun (cello); juniors Marina Dunham (bassoon) and Patton Johnson (percussion); and sophomores Elliott Broyles (trombone), Xing Carlough (viola), John Murray-Krezan (percussion) and Joshua Shah (flute). A total of 150 students participated in the orchestra festival held Feb. 8-10 at North Hills Middle School. The conductor was Jeffrey Turner, professor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and distinguished artist at the MacDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University, where he is the conductor of the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra.

• Six Fox Chapel Area High School students were selected to perform with the PMEA Region I Band. The students are seniors Elijah Herzer (bass clarinet) and Chloe Kim (clarinet), juniors Marina Dunham (bassoon) and Patton Johnson (percussion), and sophomores Elliott Broyles (trombone) and Joshua Shah (flute). The PMEA Region I Band included 140 of the best musicians from 62 high schools from throughout Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington and Westmoreland counties. The band’s concert was held Feb. 24 at Deer Lakes High School. It was conducted by Dr. Patricia Cornett, director of bands at Temple University.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)