Calendar of upcoming High Mowing School concerts and music events

No upcoming performances at this time. Thank you for a great year!

NH All-State Music Festival

Five HMS students participated in the NH All-State Music Festival during the first weekend of April. Michiko Takahashi '08, violin (pictured, front row, just to the left of the conductor); Nicole Perez '10, viola; Zoe Falk '10, cello; Emily Flemming '09, soprano voice; and Amanda Mullen '10, alto voice.

Of particular note is the fact that this was the first year that HMS has ever sent vocalists to the Festival.

The Festival was held in Concord, NH and the concert was once again held at the beautiful Capital Center for the Arts in the heart of downtown.

Much thanks for the Anderson Fund for picking up not only the participation fees for these five students, but even the audition fees for the many additional HMS students who tried out.

Congratulations, ladies!

HMS Students attend 2008 NH All-State Jazz Festival

Helen Wright '08, Matt Frost '09, and Henry Lewers '08 participated in the 2008 New Hampshire All-State Festival at Pinkerton Acamedy in Derry, New Hampshire this weekend. Helen and Matt, alto voice and tenor voice, sang in the Jazz Choir; and Henry played piano in the Honors Jazz Band. Pictures from the Festival concert can be seen by clicking here, and see the Recording Archive to hear sound clips from the Jazz Choir and Honors Jazz Band.

Gentlemen of Leisure to perform at 2008 Berklee Festival

The Gentlemen of Leisure will perform at the Berklee College of Music 2008 High School Jazz Festival. Bringing their distinctive blend of blues and rock to the Festival as a student-led group (a first for HMS), the Gents will represent HMS with distinction. Their performance will be at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, between 3 and 4 pm on Saturday, February 9th.

The Gentlemen of Leisure are Dan Roaman ('08), guitars and vocals; Shea Vacarro ('10), bass and vocals; Jonah Tolchin ('11), guitar and harmonica; and Seamus Conley ('11), drums. Special guests will include Michiko Takahashi ('08), violin; Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), violin; and Jasper Noer ('09), vocals.

The Gentlemen will be competing in a category for schools with 500 students or fewer. Each year HMS has attended the festival, we've placed better and better.

Rather than a single-stage, "battle of the bands" format, the Berklee Festival is so large (300+ bands) that multiple performances occur throughout the Hynes Convention Center throughout the day --- sometimes as many as six or more at a time. The performance rooms themselves are small, but there's always space for supporters of the HMS jazz program! Come on down and cheer for the Gentlemen of Leisure!!!

(pictured: one of the first Berklee HS Jazz Fests...sometime far, far back in the mid-20th century!)

Three students will represent HMS at NH All-State Jazz Festival 2008

On February 9, three High Mowing students will perform at the New Hampshire Jazz All-State Concert, taking place at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire at 1:00.

Helen Wright ('08), alto voice, and Matt Frost ('09), tenor voice, will perform in one of two Jazz Choirs. Each vocal part (SATB) will be carried by only seven singers each, and many opportunites for solos will present themselves!

Henry Lewers ('08), piano, earned the highest score of any pianist in the state, and will perform in the Honors Jazz Band (a big band consisting of rhythm section and 15 horns --- saxes, trumpets, and trombones). This bests his results from last year, when he earned the second-highest score.

Fun fact: On a per-capita basis, HMS will have the highest numbers of participating students of any school in the state!

Tickets will be on sale the day of the performance (February 9) and a CD and DVD of the concert will be professionally recorded and produced.

Three HMS students attend the NHMEA Chamber Festival

Violinist Michiko Takahashi ('08), pianist Henry Lewers ('08), and violist Nicole Perez ('10) participated in the NHMEA/NHBDA Chamber Festival on January 12, 2008. The students were accepted into the Festival based on their All-State and Jazz All-State audition scores, which were among the very highest in the state.

The focus of the Festival was on smaller classical chamber groups and jazz combos, as opposed to the regular All-State/Jazz All-State ensembles (symphony orchestra and big band). They gave a performance in the auditorium of the Timberlane Performing Arts Center. Live recordings will be posted in the "Recording Archives" section shortly.

Congratulations to Michiko, Henry, and Nicole!!!

Five Students to represent HMS at NH All-State Music Festival

The audition results are in! Representing HMS in the All-State Chorus will be alto Amanda Mullen ('10) and soprano Emily Flemming ('09). Selected for the Orchestra were cellist Zoe Falk ('10), violist Nicole Perez ('10) and violinist Michiko Takahashi ('08). Nicole received the second highest score among violists in the state, and Michiko's score puts her in the sixth chair of the first violin section, besting her score from the two previous years.

Congratulations to Amanda, Emily, Zoe, Nicole, and Michiko, and thank you for your hard work and buoyant energy throughout the rehearsal and audition process!

The Festival will be held April 3-5. Tickets will be on sale the day of the performance at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH (pictured) on April 5; a CD and DVD of the concert will be professionally recorded and produced.

FUZZY BUNNY FOUND

The much-cuddled and beloved mascot of the HMS Music Department, Fuzzy Bunny, has been located. His return to campus at the end of Thanksgiving Break has been assured. Thanks to all who helped search for him!

2008 New Hampshire All-State Music Festival Auditions

On Friday, November 16, sixteen High Mowing students auditioned for the All-State Orchestra, Chorus, and Concert Band.

Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), violin
Julia Balit ('09), alto voice
Clara Brown ('09), soprano voice
Haley Clougherty ('10), alto voice
Zoe Falk ('10), cello
Emily Flemming ('09), soprano voice
Matt Frost ('09), tenor voice
Holly Johnston ('09), soprano voice
Jazmin Ment ('09), soprano voice
Amanda Mullen ('10), alto voice
Jaimen Perez ('11), trumpet
Nicole Perez ('10), viola
Michiko Takahashi ('08), violin
Fana Takahashi ('10), cello
Sarah Truchon ('09), alto voice
Julian Valdez ('09), bass voice

Students were asked to play a prepared piece and scales, and to sight-read. Michiko was accepted to the Festival the past two years; in addition, Sophie and Nicole were accepted last year.

The HMS Music Department would like to thank these musicians for their willingness to put themselves on the line in this competitive audition process. Whether or not these students are accepted to the Festival, their hard work and preparation will pay off for them in terms of their musicianship, as well as their ability to face tough situations (like future auditions and even job interviews!) with grace.

Finally, a SPECIAL THANKS to HMS parent and Athletic Director Betsy Truchon for driving one of the two buses it took to get everyone to and from auditions, as well as dorm counselors Maryanne Martel and Michal Noer for helping some of our boarding students get home a day later than usual, post-auditions...

NH All-State Jazz Festival 2008

Seven HMS music students auditioned for NH All-State Jazz Festival 2008 on Saturday, 10/27/07. Held at Litchfield High School, the auditions were arduous and competitive, but preparation levels were also high.

The HMS Music Department would like to thank the following students for their hard work, preparation, and willingness to put themselves on the line in a stressful audition environment:

Helen Wright ('08), alto voice
Henry Lewers ('08), piano
Matt Frost ('09), tenor voice
Julia Balit ('09), alto voice
Shea Vacarro ('10), guitar
Seamus Conley ('11), drums
Jaimen Perez ('11), trumpet

Whether or not these students are accepted to the Festival (to be held at Pinkerton Academy, pictured, in Derry during early February), their hard work and preparation will pay off for them in terms of their musicianship, as well as their ability to face tough situations (like future auditions and even job interviews!) with grace.

Watch this space for updates!

HMS students attend summer programs at Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music

On Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, HMS pianist Henry Lewers ('08) performed in two chamber music concerts at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music in East Sullivan, NH. With other Apple Hill students, he performed Mozart's Piano Quartet in G Minor and Haydn piano trio. Many other works were performed as well, by other Apple Hill students.

Nicole Perez ('10), a violist and student at HMS, attended some of Apple Hill's August sessions. Here are a few of her reflections on her experience:

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The Apple Hill Summer Music Festival is a chamber music festival in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. It invites people of all ages, cultures, and countries to participate with a vision of playing for peace. The compositions performed range from the Baroque period to the present, including pieces composed by the faculty. Apple Hill is unique in its founding ideas, creating an environment that is rarely found elsewhere.

I believe that the reason that Apple Hill is so special to so many people is because it has succeeded in a way that many other music festivals have failed. Apple Hill has created a completely non-competitive environment, while still attracting amazing musicians from throughout the world. Therefore there is an incredible energy and enthusiasm in all the participants and faculty, and a high level of respect towards everybody.

I had an awesome time at Apple Hill, and returned home with some great memories. Contra dancing in the tiny town of Nelson, with the (very) colorful locals; going crazy on dance nights and going to bed at 6 am; SOCCER at five; the incredible faculty concerts; partying in the kitchen after a long night of taboo, ping pong, and boggle; the ten-minute walk (up a steep incline) to the bathroom every morning; hiking Mount Monadnock without any water or food; eating stale birthday cake; and generaly just chillin' and having a great time with some very cool people.

I played in a Beethoven quartet (opus 18 # 2) and a Bach Brandenburg V. Both groups produced some great music and I'm extremely grateful to both the coaches and members of the groups for their incredible musicianship and inspiration. I would recommend Apple Hill to anybody who is into music, fun loving, and doesn't mind playing under extreme exhaustion! Thanks everyone, and hopefully I'll see you at Apple Hill in the next few summers!

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(pictured: Apple Hill students from the summer of '06)

HMS students at NH All-State Music Festival 2007

HMS violinist Michiko Takahashi ('08), violinist Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), and violist Nicole Perez ('10) participated in the New Hampshire All-State Music Festival, held in Concord, NH, over the weekend of April 12-14.

Housed in the swanky, newly-renovated Marriott Courtyard hotel, the girls were thrilled to have a room all to themselves (no roommate from another school was assigned to their room, as had been expected). There was a new set of rehearsal logistics at this year's festival: rather than being bussed to Concord High School for rehearsals, all the students needed to do was go downstairs and rehearse in the hotel's Grand Ballroom. Never leaving the hotel for nearly 48 hours got to be a little claustrophobic at times, but proved to be a big time-saver and logistical simplification as well. Lastly, the students got to socialize more with other Festival participants, as they didn't have to jostle with hundreds of Concord High School students at mealtimes.

The Festival included a concert band, a chorus of over 150 students, and the full symphony orchestra (the last of which included all three HMS students). The Orchestra's director was David Gilbert, who is Conductor in Residence at the Manhattan School of Music and director of the Greenwich (CT) Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gilbert also served in the past as Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Principal Guest Conductor of the Beijing Philharmonic, and as Principal Conductor of the American Ballet Theatre. He has also conducted the National High School Honors Orchestra and the All-Eastern High School Honor Orchestra.

After travelling very slowly and carefully through the spring slush storm and enjoying lunch at the Red Arrow Diner in downtown Manchester on Thursday, the girls had four hours of rehearsal Thursday night, followed by a jam-packed day of rehearsal on Friday. On Friday night, a 70s funk cover band entertained the students (numbering in the hundreds, from high schools state-wide), many of whom ended up singing, cheering, and forming a conga-line hundreds of feet long (yes...they were TIRED!).

On Saturday morning, after dress rehearsal, the girls enjoyed a little bit of downtime before the afternoon performance. We went back to Manchester for another Red Arrow Diner meal (The Food Network was filming in the kitchen while we were there!) and a much-needed long walk around the Millyard.

The Festival concert, held at Concord's Capital Center for the Arts, was an absolutely wonderful performance played to a packed house. Excerpts from the professionally recorded CD are on the recording archive page (see the "student musicians" links in the left hand margin).

Snowed out of the Berklee Festival...*again*...

The HMS Jazz Bands were all set to perform at the Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival on March 17, after rehearsing feverishly during the week of March 12 - 16 (the week after our two-week break, which is just enough time to get rusty).

Along came a big old late-in-the-season Nor'Easter. After much excrutiating deliberation and consultation, it was decided that we just couldn't brave the weather. Students, parents, and HMS faculty alike were terribly frustrated and disappointed.

This was the second time in three years that we've been snowed out of participating in the world's largest high school jazz festival (350 bands from all over the USA). It happened in 2005, as well! We've been attending the Berklee Festival since 2000. The five visits we've made to the Festival have all been wonderful (our performances have been combined with a bit of Newbury Street/Copley square shopping for the students, as well as a wonderful, leisurely group lunch or dinner). The two years we've had to stay home have been awful!

Particularly given that I'm a Berklee alum, I've been in touch with the College about pushing the date out a bit later; we're far from the only band to have had trouble due to the weather in 2005 and 2007.

Stay tuned for 2008...

See Berklee's website in the "off-campus" section in the left-hand margin.

Henry Lewers performs at the 2007 New Hampshire All-State Jazz Festival

Pianist Henry Lewers ('08) was a participant at the 2007 NH Jazz All-State Festival in Nashua over the weekend of February 1 - 3. He played in one of two big bands at the festival, performing swing and latin standards (and some originals written by the director of his band). He even performed a solo on the classic standard "But Beautiful".

Navigating around the cavernous campus of Nashua South High School seemed a bit odd for Henry, as did meeting a long list of roomates at the Sheraton Tara (the huge mock-Tudor place off Route 3!), but he persevered through two long days of rehearsal, culminating in a performance on Saturday afternoon (February 3) in Nashua South's excellent auditorium.

A CD of the Jazz All-State performances (two big bands and two jazz choirs) was made. Excerpts from the performances by Henry's band can be accessed on the archive page (look under "student musicians" in the left-hand margin).

Henry's participation in the Festival followed his successful audition in November of 2006. The NH All-State Jazz Festival, like the "regular" All-State Festival (which features symphony orchestra, large chorus, and concert band), is facilitated by the NH Music Educators' Association (NHMEA), a chapter of the Music Educators' National Conference (MENC). Please congratulate Henry for being the first HMS student ever chosen for the All-State Jazz Festival!

The NH Music Educators' Association site can be found in the "off-campus" box in the left-hand margin.

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.