Student musicians from Ford Middle School in Acushnet represented the school well at two separate music festivals, and earned two first place finishes.
At the Music in the Park Festival at Westfield State University on June 2, the Ford Middle School Band and Chorus each had a first place finish.
The FMS Wildcat Band, a combined group of students in grades 7 and 8, received a score of 90.25 and a rating of “Superior” for their performance.
The eighth grade chorus scored 82.5 and was rated “Excellent.”
It was Ford’s first year participating in the Music in the Parks festival.
On May 5 and 6, four FMS band members represented the school at the Junior Southeastern Mass. School Bandmasters Association (SEMSBA) music festival in Braintree.
Dale Faria played the French horn and Brian Poirier played alto sax in the junior festival band. Riley Fortin sang alto with the mixed chorus, and Maya Blouin sang soprano with the treble chorus.
“The four eighth graders represented the FMS music program impeccably across all of the ensembles,” wrote FMS music teacher Brian Shanbrun in a statement.
He said that the auditions in late February included hundreds of middle and high school students. Acceptance to the festival is by audition only. It requires preparation of a prescribed piece of musical literature, scales, and sight-reading.
“I was amazed they were all accepted,” said Mr. Shanbrun. “One hundred percent acceptance to an honor festival like this is an incredible accomplishment. It’s a great honor for these standout students to be selected, both individually and for the school.”
Four musicians represented Acushnet’s Ford Middle School at the Junior SEMSBA Festival in early May. L-R: Brian Poirier, Dale Faria, Riley Fortin, Maya Blouin. Submitted photo.
SEMSBA is comprised of 30 communities. The purpose of SEMSBA is to raise the standard of and to promote greater community interest in school music programs.
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