Hershey, here they come!
Four Bethel Park students qualified for the all-state chorus in Hershey, PA, which will take place March 26-29.
All four singers were selected for states at the Region 1 chorus festival — held from February 12-14. Students from all over the region, ranging from Allegheny to Westmoreland County, gathered on a Wednesday evening to audition for the all-state festival.
Over 160 young adults were split up into eight rooms by voice part with about 20 people in each room. The singers were told which two or three excerpts they would be singing from out of five possible songs. They were judged by three judges on an array of categories ranging from tone quality to diction to correct notes and rhythms, which adds up to a score out of a possible 270 points.
From each section, the top six scorers were announced as moving on to states. They were announced in “chair order” (highest score to lowest score).
The four BP students who placed in the top six of their respective sections are as follows:
Marie Dykstra (Soprano II) – First Chair
Joseph Serafini (Tenor I) – Third Chair
Michael Krut (Bass I) – Fourth Chair
Josh Como (Bass I) – Fifth Chair
They will join a long list of Bethel Park High School musicians who have gone to the PMEA State Convention, a culmination of young, raw musical talent.
When asked what he is most looking forward to regarding states, Sophomore Joe Serafini said, “I’m looking forward to singing all the songs with such an advanced choir. Sharing music with that many people creates an awesome rush.” In Hershey, there will be over 25 students per section representing all seven regions of Pennsylvania.
Serafini also said his favorite part of these music festivals is “meeting all the new people that participate in it, including the conductor and instrumentalists.”
