Projects Block 2006 CD

About a dozen HMS students worked with HMS teachers Elise MacDonald and Diego Sharon last spring on a music recording project for Projects Block.

The CD was recorded and engineered by HMS alum and musician extraordinare Ben Martel (HMS '03). Ben gained a lot of expertise in the technical side of studio work through recording and producing a CD of his own original tunes, "Benjamin's Independent Release", which is available for purchase through CD Baby (see the links section in the left hand margin).

The personnel were Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), Michiko Takahashi ('08), Henry Lewers ('08), Townsend Gregg ('06), Mia Govoni ('08), Jesse Cornelisse ('08), Guen Soo Park ('06), Jory Goodman (Souhegan '08), Dan Roaman ('08), Scott Baker ('07), with engineering assistance from Jesse Mastroieni ('08).

(Pictured: HMS jazz students Sophie Abrahams-Dematte '08, Michiko Takahashi '08, Dan Roaman '08, and Galen Cruess '07
performing at the May 2006 Youth & the Arts Festival in Peterborough)

The CD from the Project is available for sale ($10) in the HMS school store or can be ordered via mail for $15 (shipping included; contact Elise for more information). The CD includes everything from originals to covers, from rock to Broadway to classical to bluegrass to Japanese pop!

Preview tracks may be found on the archive page, by visiting the "student musicians" box in the left hand margin and clicking on the 2006 Projects Block Link.

HMS string players headed to New Hampshire All-State Music Festival

Congratulations to violinists Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08) and Michiko Takahashi ('08), as well as violist Nicole Perez (pictured, '10), who will perform in the NH All-State Music Festival, April 12 - 14, 2007, hosted by Concord High School. Their auditions for the Festival were in November 2006. The Festival and the audition process are facilitated by the New Hampshire Music Educator's Association (NHMEA), a chapter of the Music Educator's National Conference (MENC).

Our thanks and appreciation are also due to flutists Emmie Gooding and Zoe Ames, as well as violinist Jeremy Gillam, who were not chosen for the Festival. The competition was fierce and the audition process was arduous. Well done, Zoe, Emmie, and Jeremy --- thank you for your hard work, your willingness to be open to constructive criticism through the your preparation and audition processes, and the way in which you carried yourselves and HMS throughout.

Reached for comment after hearing the news, Michiko (a NH All-State veteran, having been chosen for the '06 Festival as well), said "Well, good...at least this year, I'll have some roommates who aren't strangers!"

The New Hampshire Music Educators' Association website can be found in the "off-campus" box in the left-hand margin.

HMS musicians audition for 2007 NH All-State Festival

On November 17, a small crowd of HMS musicians auditioned for the 2007 New Hampshire All-State Festival. After having gone through an arduous preparation process, it was their task to audition individually for a small group of judges specific to their particular instrument. A prepared piece, scales, and sight-reading (the universal least-favorite portion!) were all included in the audition. Hundreds of other students from around the state were also there at Manchester Memorial High School to audition, making it a pretty raucous afternoon!

Flutists Zoe Ames and Emmie Gooding, violist Nicole Perez, and violinists Michiko Takahashi, Sophie Abrahams-Dematte, and Jeremy Gillam enjoyed dinner at the Red Arrow diner in downtown Manchester before returning to HMS to begin their Thanksgiving vacations --- a few hours late!

Congratulations to all of the students for their hard work and preparation for these auditions, and for representing High Mowing so well.

The NH Music Educators' Association website can be found in the "off-campus" section in the left-hand margin of the website.

Franz von Chossy Trio performs at HMS

The Franz von Chossy Trio, featuring pianist Franz von Chossy on piano, HMS alum Sean Fasciani ('98) on bass, and Flin van Hemmen on drums, gave a transcendent performance in the Big Room on September 29, 2006. The trio, fresh from their recent win for Best Soloist and 2004 Jazz Album of the Year at the Dutch Jazz Competition/North Sea Jazz Festival, were nonetheless remarkably accessible as they delivered a long program of von Chossy's originals and then humbly accepted the audience's appreciation.

HMS was truly honored to have a live performance of this caliber at the school --- particularly one which involved an alumni. Proceeds from the concert benefited the David Anderson Music Fund.

The Trio's recent release, "Awakening", is now available on iTunes.

The link to the Trio's website can be found in the "Alumni Musicians" box in the left-hand margin.