LCPS Music Department

[05/06/21]   24 SELECTED FOR ALL-VIRGINIA CHORUS
Twenty-four Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) high school students were selected for the All-Virginia Chorus that was held virtually on April 23 & 24, 2021. This group is sponsored by the Virginia Choral Directors’ Association.

Avery Abramson, Loudoun County High School
Ananya Akula, Rock Ridge High School
Chloe Anderson, Loudoun Valley High School
Mihika Bangarbale, Rock Ridge High School
Cleopatra Barr, Rock Ridge High School
Ally Bell, Loudoun Valley High School
Sam Berman, Broad Run High School
Andrew Burton, Stone Bridge High School
Rythama Chevendra, Stone Bridge High School
Jordan Codella, Broad Run High School
Deanna Doffermyre, Freedom High School
Annie French, Woodgrove High School
Hasitha Guhan, Riverside High School
Isabel Layman, Freedom High School
Danny Leipzig, Potomac Falls High School
Eshaan Nair, Rock Ridge High School
Lars Nyman, Rock Ridge High School
Sarah Moldover, Potomac Falls High School
Ishan Saha, Rock Ridge High School
Brielle Schermerhorn, Woodgrove High School
Ellie Schubert, Rock Ridge High School
Keshav Tarafdar, Rock Ridge High School
Lili Williams, Heritage High School
Brennan Wood, Freedom High School

Alternates
Lauren Brokken, Dominion High School
Robert Brown, Dominion High School
Sam Cooper, Rock Ridge High School
Sophia Coulopoulos, Riverside High School
Ani Dykes, Potomac Falls High School
Alana Fick, Freedom High School
Alexander Footen, Riverside High School
Kaia Greene, Rock Ridge High School
Raunak Hota, Riverside High School
Noah Mayrides, Riverside High School
Will Mosier, Freedom High School
Vikram Mukherjee, Stone Bridge High School
Anna Osborne, Briar Woods High School
Oliver Shigley, Briar Woods High School
Lily Takemoto, Loudoun County High School
Alyssa VanLandingham, Briar Woods High School


31 SELECTED FOR ALL-VA BAND & ORCHESTRA
Thirty Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) high school students were selected for the All-Virginia Band and Orchestra that was held virtually on April 23 & 24, 2021. This group is sponsored by the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association.

Justin Abel, Freedom High School
Nirel Amoyaw, John Champe High School
Anya Anand, Freedom High School
John Calma, Dominion High School
Brian Collins, Potomac Falls High School
Christopher Daniel, Briar Woods High School
Abigail Duke, Potomac Falls High School
Kierstin Han, Freedom High School
Owen Hochwald, Stone Bridge High School
David Huelsmann, Stone Bridge High School
Julia Kwon, Independence High School
Sunjum Mehta, John Champe High School
Brody Minnick, Briar Woods High School
Beau Mueller, Riverside High School
Kyle Norberg, Briar Woods High School
Jeremy Oh, Broad Run High School
Nyla Ortiz, Stone Bridge High School
Layne Parks, Dominion High School
Stephen Payes, Briar Woods High School
Parker Peterson, Stone Bridge High School
Ian Roeder, Stone Bridge High School
Evan Romito, Stone Bridge High School
Jacob Schear, Tuscarora High School
Amelia Rose Sheppard, Tuscarora High School
Ben Stone, Heritage High School
Anne Tang, Riverside High School
Lyndrinn Yao, John Champe High School
Derek Yu, Briar Woods High School
Kelly Zhou, Briar Woods High School

Alternates
Joshua Domingues, Freedom High School
Lara Forstner, John Champe High School
Garrett Goldberger, Freedom High School
Ella Iovinelli, Stone Bridge High School
Jessica Jiang. Broad Run High School
Samantha Leathem, Stone Bridge High School
Annabelle Melus, Independence High School
Max Schelhammer, Independence High School
Esther Yu, Freedom High School


8 SELECTED FOR ALL-VA JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Eight Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) high school students were selected for the All-Virginia Jazz Ensemble that is being held virtually during May of 2021. This group is sponsored by the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association.

Justin Abel, Freedom High School
Austin Balagao, Briar Wood High School
Eri Fantilaga, Stone Bridge High School
Sean McLaughlin, Briar Wood High School
Brody Minnick, Briar Wood High School
Stephen Payes, Briar Wood High School
Parker Peterson, Stone Bridge High School
Jackson Tallamy, Tuscarora High School

[04/08/21]   LOUDOUN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) has again been named as one of the 2021 Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Only 20 school districts in the Commonwealth of Virginia were recipients of this award.

Now in its 21st year, the awards program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. These districts and schools set the bar in offering all students access to comprehensive music education.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. In a series of landmark studies by scientists and researchers at Northwestern University a link was found between students in community music programs and life-long academic success, including higher high school graduation rates and college attendance. In another study from the University, it was discovered that the benefits of early exposure to music education improves how the brain processes and assimilates sounds, a trait that lasts well into adulthood.

Thank you for your recognition of music teachers!

Three cheers for music teachers! 🎵🎶
Sing-alongs, early exposure to musical instruments, and opportunities for all students to perform in front of family and friends - your work is so important! #ThankYouThursday

Arts Across Virginia is only two days away! #artsacrossva21

48 students from Loudoun County Public Schools qualify for VMEA Honors Choir and North Central Senior Regional Orchestra

Honors Choir will be held as a virtual event, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Aapass, Texas Christian University. The concert will be released during “Music in Our Schools” month (March 2021). The students successfully qualified via a rigorous virtual audition that included choral singers throughout the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

HONORS CHOIR

Broad Run High School--Jennifer Kauffmann, Director
Jordan Codella

Freedom High School--Laura Lazarevich, Director
Deanna Doffermyre
Brennan Wood

Heritage High School--Jack Krimmel, Director
Lili Williams

Tuscarora High School--Christine Tarrant, Director
Alexis Freire

The north central regional orchestra is filled by auditioning students across the region. This highly competitive event is comprised of musicians from several counties including Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fauquier, and several counties from Frederick County to Shenandoah County. This year students submitted virtual auditions.This event qualifies all string players to audition for the All-Virginia event, as well as the majority of the wind players.

SENIOR REGIONAL ORCHESTRA BAND MEMBERS

Briar Woods High School--Duane Minnick, Director
Mathew Hughes
Kyle Norberg
Derek Yu

Dominion High School--Ryan Rowles, Director
John Calma

Freedom High School--Jonathan Schiffler and Keith Taylor, Directors
Justin Abel
Anya Anand
Jacob Taylor

Heritage High School--George Herrmann, Director
Ben Stone

John Champe High School--Adam Foreman and Jason Miller, Directors
Lara Forstner
Jake Thomas

Independence HIgh School--Kyle Harrington, Director
Annabelle Melus

Park View High School--Brian Morton, Director
Alex Schaefer

Stone Bridge High School--David Keller and Megan Stallings, Directors
Ella Iovinelli

Woodgrove HS--Ryan Dempsey, Director
Benjamin Dickson

SENIOR REGIONAL ORCHESTRA MEMBERS

Briar Woods High School--Claire H. Park-Kolonay, Director
Megan Acevedo
Annette Lee
Sahana Sreeram
Kelly Zhou

Broad Run High School--Carrie Albers, Director
Adrian Cheung
Michael Chou
Jessica Jiang
Jeremy Oh

Dominion High School--Ethan Lawrence, Director
Kel Raphael

Freedom High School--Claire H. Park-Kolonay, Director
Brandon Bae
Hailey Chong
Morgan Glass
Kierstin Han
Nuri Han
Elena Owellen
Esther Yu

Lightridge High School--Robby Carroll, Director
Monet Shum
Emily Song

Loudoun Valley High School--Kelly Holowecki, Director
Isabelle Marsh

Potomac Falls High School--Alexa Kanakry, Director
Erin Chan

Riverside High School--Romana Hartmetz
Andrew (June) Park
Annie Tang

Rock Ridge High School--Teresa Gordon, Director
Pawan Kashyap
Sydney Pascual

Stone Bridge High School--David Schear, Director
Alessandria Axtell
Ellen Hong

Tuscarora High School--Larisa Marian, Director
Alyssa Cabassa
Christopher Tally

Woodgrove High School--Samantha Oakley, Director
Katie Hicks

48 students from Loudoun County Public Schools qualify for VMEA Honors Choir and North Central Senior Regional Orchestra

Honors Choir will be held as a virtual event, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Aapass, Texas Christian University. The concert will be released during “Music in Our Schools” month (March 2021). The students successfully qualified via a rigorous virtual audition that included choral singers throughout the entire Commonwealth of Virginia.

HONORS CHOIR

Broad Run High School--Jennifer Kauffmann, Director
Jordan Codella

Freedom High School--Laura Lazarevich, Director
Deanna Doffermyre
Brennan Wood

Heritage High School--Jack Krimmel, Director
Lili Williams

Tuscarora High School--Christine Tarrant, Director
Alexis Freire

The north central regional orchestra is filled by auditioning students across the region. This highly competitive event is comprised of musicians from several counties including Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fauquier, and several counties from Frederick County to Shenandoah County. This year students submitted virtual auditions.This event qualifies all string players to audition for the All-Virginia event, as well as the majority of the wind players.

SENIOR REGIONAL ORCHESTRA BAND MEMBERS

Briar Woods High School--Duane Minnick, Director
Mathew Hughes
Kyle Norberg
Derek Yu

Dominion High School--Ryan Rowles, Director
John Calma

Freedom High School--Jonathan Schiffler and Keith Taylor, Directors
Justin Abel
Anya Anand
Jacob Taylor

Heritage High School--George Herrmann, Director
Ben Stone

John Champe High School--Adam Foreman and Jason Miller, Directors
Lara Forstner
Jake Thomas

Independence HIgh School--Kyle Harrington, Director
Annabelle Melus

Park View High School--Brian Morton, Director
Alex Schaefer

Stone Bridge High School--David Keller and Megan Stallings, Directors
Ella Iovinelli

Woodgrove HS--Ryan Dempsey, Director
Benjamin Dickson

SENIOR REGIONAL ORCHESTRA MEMBERS

Briar Woods High School--Claire H. Park-Kolonay, Director
Megan Acevedo
Annette Lee
Sahana Sreeram
Kelly Zhou

Broad Run High School--Carrie Albers, Director
Adrian Cheung
Michael Chou
Jessica Jiang
Jeremy Oh

Dominion High School--Ethan Lawrence, Director
Kel Raphael

Freedom High School--Claire H. Park-Kolonay, Director
Brandon Bae
Hailey Chong
Morgan Glass
Kierstin Han
Nuri Han
Elena Owellen
Esther Yu

Lightridge High School--Robby Carroll, Director
Monet Shum
Emily Song

Loudoun Valley High School--Kelly Holowecki, Director
Isabelle Marsh

Potomac Falls High School--Alexa Kanakry, Director
Erin Chan

Riverside High School--Romana Hartmetz
Andrew (June) Park
Annie Tang

Rock Ridge High School--Teresa Gordon, Director
Pawan Kashyap
Sydney Pascual

Stone Bridge High School--David Schear, Director
Alessandria Axtell
Ellen Hong

Tuscarora High School--Larisa Marian, Director
Alyssa Cabassa
Christopher Tally

Woodgrove High School--Samantha Oakley, Director
Katie Hicks

Virtual 2020 All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE)
Thursday, January 7 – Saturday, January 9, 2021

The first-ever virtual All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE) event included several rehearsals with the 2020 ANHE Conductors and workshops with renowned clinicians. Each ensemble created a final, recorded performance that premiered online. It also included a national college fair and mock auditions with instructional staff from the U.S. Army Music Program, U.S. Marine Corps Music Program, and Schmidt Vocal Arts.
There were six ensembles in this prestigious event. Loudoun County Public Schools is proud to have had 5 students successfully audition for and participate in various ensembles. Only 22 students from Virginia were accepted for these ensembles. The students from LCPS were:

Lachezar Balabanski, Riverside High School, Guitar Ensemble, Romana Hartmetz, Director

Ava Hearne, Riverside High School, Guitar Ensemble, Romana Hartmetz, Director

Caitlin Robinson, Loudoun County High School, Guitar Ensemble, Kareem McCullough

Ishan Saha, Rock Ridge High School, Mixed Choir, Jordan Markwood, Director

Kelly Zhou, Briar Woods High School, Symphony Orchestra, Claire Park-Kolonay, Director

Virtual 2020 All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE)
Thursday, January 7 – Saturday, January 9, 2021

The first-ever virtual All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE) event included several rehearsals with the 2020 ANHE Conductors and workshops with renowned clinicians. Each ensemble created a final, recorded performance that premiered online. It also included a national college fair and mock auditions with instructional staff from the U.S. Army Music Program, U.S. Marine Corps Music Program, and Schmidt Vocal Arts.
There were six ensembles in this prestigious event. Loudoun County Public Schools is proud to have had 5 students successfully audition for and participate in various ensembles. Only 22 students from Virginia were accepted for these ensembles. The students from LCPS were:

Lachezar Balabanski, Riverside High School, Guitar Ensemble, Romana Hartmetz, Director

Ava Hearne, Riverside High School, Guitar Ensemble, Romana Hartmetz, Director

Caitlin Robinson, Loudoun County High School, Guitar Ensemble, Kareem McCullough

Ishan Saha, Rock Ridge High School, Mixed Choir, Jordan Markwood, Director

Kelly Zhou, Briar Woods High School, Symphony Orchestra, Claire Park-Kolonay, Director

Please see the attached flyer. The regional governor’s school (PAVAN) will use a virtual audition process. The program is scheduled tentatively for in person instruction but may go virtual if conditions require that next summer. This information has also been shared with counselors.

Proud of you, Rick Reaves!

Rick Reaves has adjusted his flourishing band program to distance learning 46 years into his teaching career.

The Loudoun Valley High School band director is teaching online for the first time since he began teaching music as a junior in college. Reaves said the love of his students has spurred him to adopt the new methods of teaching in a compressed time frame.

Reaves sees arts education as being particularly needed by students now. “The arts are a very important part of the development of the mind as well as the spirit. The arts teach the whole student. It is one area that ties both sides of the brain together. Musicians have stronger ties between the parts of the brain than others.”

Keeping the ties to his students online is a skill Reaves has mastered. He teaches classes of from 13 to 30 students based on a set, yet flexible, schedule.

To view full article visit, https://tinyurl.com/yxbqxqtc

LCPS 2020 Honor Bands

11 LCPS High School Bands have received the distinction of Honor Band in the year 2019-2020!

The Virginia Honor Band recognition and award is the result of a project and survey that was conducted in the spring of 1979. The survey was in conjunction with the establishment of a state marching band festival. As part of the end result of such a festival, the recognition of bands displaying a comprehensive program was the intent of the Virginia Honor Band Award. Bands achieving superior ratings at the state marching festival and district concert festival were to be recognized with the highest honor that can be bestowed upon bands by the VBODA.

Congratulations to these qualifying schools:

Briar Woods High School, Duane Minnick, Director
Broad Run High School, Ryan Dempsey, Director
Dominion High School, Jonathan Schiffler, Director
Freedom High School, Joel Galway, Director
Independence High School, Kyle Harrington, Director
John Champe High School, Jonathan Phillip & Jamieson Carr, Directors
Loudoun County High School, Darron Young, Director
Park View High School, Brian Morton, Director
Potomac Falls High School, Tim Niebergall, Director
Rock Ridge High School, Justin Ratcliff, Director
Stone Bridge High School, David Keller & Eric Blanks, Directors