Fort Plain students perform at music festival

   
       Sixty-one Fort Plain music students took part in the 2010 Montgomery County All-County Music Festival held Feb. 6 at Fonda-Fultonville High School. The festival features students from Amsterdam, Canajoharie, Fonda-Fultonville, Fort Plain, and St. Johnsville schools.

       The Elementary Chorus, including 18 Fort Plain 5th and 6th grade students, took the stage first. Under the direction of Dr. Michael Lister, Assistant Professor at the College of St. Rose, the choir performed four pieces, concluding with an Appalachian Folk Song “Cedar Swamp.”

       Next to perform was the Junior Band, comprised of students in grades 7, 8 and 9 and conducted by Kathleen Ehlinger of the Guilderland School District. They performed three pieces, with the final, “Dixieland Salute” a crowd favorite. Eleven Fort Plain students, performing on the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone and tuba performed in the band.

        Senior High School Chorus under the direction of Jason Dashew of Bethlehem Central High School, presented four numbers beginning with the rousing “Ease on Down the Road.” The haunting “Erev Shel Shoshanim” really brought out the huge talent of the group. Fort Plain sent fifteen Senior Chorus members to this year’s festival.

       The Senior High School Band closed out the evening, with Paul Blake serving as conductor. Blake, Music Director of Richfield Springs Central School, has a background in the U.S. Army Band, Fort Dix, N.J. Fort Plain members included seventeen musicians, playing woodwind, brass, low brass and percussion. The Senior Band lived up to its reputation as a high-quality and highly entertaining group, finishing the evening’s events with the extremely lively “Emblem of Unity March.”

Fort Plain students who participated in All-County included:
ELEMENTARY CHORUS: Brittany Allen, Svetlana Bleichner, Austin Crouse, Elizabeth Doxtater, Sara Knoblauch, Paige Lee, Abbigail Plescia, Caitlyn Porter, Allison Ramsey, Kierra Reid, Edena Sanchez, Brandy Sanders, Hannah Staples, Kenneth Travis, Danielle VanPatten, Amanda Vicciarelli

JUNIOR BAND: Lindsay Countryman, Alexis Haponski, Kasey Mang, Valerie Hoffman. Christian Arndt, Zach Florian, David Wilday, Alex Bleichner, Troy Hudson, Jacob Mang

SENIOR CHORUS: Ciera Antelek, Elizabeth Carpenter, Tina Goldswer, Danyel King, Chelsea Koch, Aimee Ramsey, Celena Antone, Laura Bleichner, Nicole Oeser, Tara Resch, Kristy Richardson, Michael Countryman, Derek Lamb, Matthew Soto, Charles Ramsey

SENIOR BAND: Jocelyn Arndt, Maise Orsillo, Ashley Smith, Anderson Briggs, Emily Dahlin, Sara Klock, Kaitlyn Trembley, Kelsey Logan, Nolan Reese, Evan Yacowenia.
 

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