The annual Southern Maine Middle School Honors Festival took place on March 1 and March 2 at Westbrook Middle School. Seventh and eighth grade band and chorus students from Gorham, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, Bonny Eagle, Thornton Academy, Lake Region, Scarborough, Noble, and Massabesic Middle Schools came together to rehearse and perform a concert for the public.
Five Gorham band students: seventh-grader Dylan Bauer and eighth graders Patrick Cyr, Eden Johnson, Morgan Cole, and Kevin Luo auditioned for and were accepted to the festival and had the opportunity to work with guest conductor Marisa Weinstein.
Photo credit Dan LacianoHonors Band for 7th and 8th Grade (pictured left to right): Kevin Luo, Patrick Cyr, Dylan Bauer, Eden Johnson, and Morgan Cole.
The Honors Chorus, directed by Dennis Boyd, included 14 Gorham chorus students: seventh-graders Elsie Bradshaw, Elizabeth Douglass, Kira Keniston, Brady Mercier, Amy Morin, Alex Robbins, and Lily Rubin and eighth-graders Avery Andrews, Emelia Bailey, Maeve Donnelly, Madeline Downey, Bruce Hodgkin, Sarah Rathbun, and Amy Thompson.
Honors Chorus for 7th and 8th Grade (pictured left to right) Front Row: Bruce Hodgkin, Alex Robbins, Avery Andrews, Elizabeth Douglass, and Maeve Donnelly; Middle Row: Amy Morin, Brady Mercier, Emelia Bailey, and Amy Thompson; and Back Row: Kira Keniston, Madeline Downey, Elsie Bradshaw, Sarah Rathbun, and Lily Rubin.Eden Johnson had a featured flute solo in the band and Maddie Downey had a featured solo in the chorus performance.
The students had a great time meeting and working with other musicians from across Southern Maine throughout the weekend while strengthening their musical skills through this amazing opportunity.