2025 PMEA District 1 Sr. High Orchestra Festival

2025 PMEA District 1 Senior High School Orchestra Festival

Guest Conductor: Dr. Christopher Cicconi Co-Hosted by Stephanie Glover & Chad Thompson, Bethel Park High School and Jeff Kesser, West Mifflin Area High School

Saturday, January 11, 2025 4:00 pm Bethel Park High School Auditorium

GUEST CONDUCTOR BIOGRAPHY Dr. Christopher Cicconi is Director of Bands and Professor of Wind Conducting at James Madison University. Conductor of James Madison University School of Music’s premiere concert band, the Wind Symphony, he also teaches courses in undergraduate as well as graduate conducting, wind ensemble literature, advises Masters and Doctoral Conducting students, and provides visionary leadership for as well as oversees the School of Music’s comprehensive band program. Coupled with his duties at James Madison, Dr. Cicconi serves as the Principal Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Music Director of the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, and a Conductor of the New England Music Camp Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band.

As a strong advocate for music education and community outreach, Dr. Cicconi is in demand throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and is a sought-after guest conductor, clinician, and professional developer. He has appeared as a band and orchestra clinician in well over 200 public and private institutions and has been awarded, by the Maryland Music Educators Association, both the Outstanding Music Educator and the Corwin Taylor Music E ducation Leadership Awards and is a past president of the Maryland Band Directors Association. As a guest conductor, Cicconi has appeared with All-State, All-Region, and All-County Bands and Orchestras in numerous states around the country including California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wyoming, as well as the countries of Argentina and China. Finally, Dr. Cicconi frequently serves as a guest conductor for the internationally acclaimed Sewanee Music Festival as well as the United States Naval Academy and has presented clinic sessions at the field’s most prestigious conferences, including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and the National Association for Music Education Conference.

As an active scholar, Cicconi’s agenda includes wind and orchestral repertoire and other current music education topics such as score study, conducting, and arranging. His most recent publications, ‘The Band Music Handbook, A Catalog of Emerging Band Repertoire,’ and contributions to “Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra” have proved to be valuable resources for instrumental ensemble directors worldwide. As an arranger, Cicconi premiered his transcriptions of Jonathan Leshnoff’s ‘Rush’ and David Maslanka’s ‘Symphony No. 8’ with the Towson University Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra respectively, which have been subsequently published by Theodore Presser and Carl Fischer. Since then, they have both received numerous performances nationwide in university and conference settings, including a performance at the college Band Directors National Association Southwest Regional Conference.

Prior to his arrival in Maryland, Dr. Cicconi earned a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Miami, where he was awarded a Henry Mancini Fellowship and was a student of Mr. Gary D. Green. He completed a Master of Music Education Degree, with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting from Arizona State University and earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree (summa cum laude) from Youngstown State University. He is a member of College Band Directors National Association, Florida Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, Pi Kappa Lambda, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, Tau Beta Sigma.

Welcome from Bethel Park Superintendent On behalf of the Bethel Park Board of School Directors and district administration, I want to welcome you to Bethel Park and congratulate the musicians performing this evening. We are pleased to host this event in Bethel Park because it validates how we deeply value music programs in schools. We know from mountains of research that there is a lasting positive impact of music education on the academic, personal, and professional growth of students. Music education shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them, allowing for a deep engagement with learning. Tonight’s concert affirms these values as music educators, students and families throughout Western Pennsylvania perform together to demonstrate the importance of quality music education programs to the lives of young people.

Students, I admire your dedication to the preparation for this event, but also the unwavering commitment to music education and the ideals of a music ensemble. Your desire to perform at a high level, which has long been a great tradition for Bethel Park, inspires many young musicians watching from the seats to make the same commitments. I wish you and your directors much success. Bethel Park supports you, is cheering for you, and is proud of your efforts. Thank you for being here and making beautiful music.

James M. Walsh, Ed.D. Superintendent

PROGRAM

FESTIVE OVERTURE, OP. 96……………………………………………………Dmitri Shostakovich RUSSIAN EASTER FESTIVAL, Op. 36……………….……………….Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov DANZÓN NO. 2……………………………………………………………………..…….Arturo Marquez COPYRIGHT NOTICE THE UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW PROHIBITS THE RECORDING OF FESTIVAL CONCERTS. IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE ANY RECORDING DEVICE DURING THIS PROGRAM. PMEA REGULATIONS ALSO FORBID THE USE OF CAMERAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION. PROFESSIONAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PERFORMANCE ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE LOBBY

The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) advances comprehensive and innovative music education through promoting effective instruction, providing meaningful learning experiences, and ensuring impactful and equitable music engagement for all.

In addition, college chapters and TRI-M Music Honor Society are comprised of students enrolled in music education.

PMEA provides leadership in professional growth and offers special opportunities for musical development to school students.

District 1 includes over 550 school and private music teachers from Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties. District 1 sponsors high school and junior high orchestra, band and chorus festivals for members' students who are selected either by tryouts or director recommendation and school size quotas. An honors string orchestra, honors band and honors chorus are offered to student-musicians by competitive audition. District 1 festival musicians may advance to Region, All State, Eastern Division and National NAfME groups.

In addition, District 1 annually hosts two Jazz Band Fests, an Elementary Sing Fest East and West, several Elementary Band Fests and Professional Development Workshops for all music teachers.

PMEA DISTRICT 1 SR. HIGH ORCHESTRA PARTICIPANTS VIOLIN 1 Ilana Aranovich

VIOLA Ainsley Anderson

Emma Balega

Brady Bart

Franklin Regional Greater Latrobe

Rhiannon Bowman Ava Chismar

Mt. Pleasant

Peters Township

Sienna Daley

Riverview

Joanna Bi

Chartiers Valley Shady Side Academy

Alisabeth Bushko

Lauren Happe

Ava Fleming

Abigail Hewitt

Thomas Jefferson

Emanuel Flournoy

Plum

Roselyn Goldstein Jayden Hoang Karin Hoppo

Upper St. Clair

West Mifflin Area North Allegheny

Zachary Jiang

Hampton

Paxton Kendall

Albert Gallatin

Quentin Lesko

Allderdice

Avery Mills

The Ellis School

Bailey Nolan

Mt. Lebanon

Sophia Zaragoza

Trinity Area

VIOLIN 2 Irina Franco Annmarie George

Greensburg Central Catholic

Kendall Hammer

South Fayette

Abigail Kovac

Gateway

Kada Lamonde

Keystone Oaks

Adam McElhinny

West Mifflin Area

Connor McGrew

Christian Mendoza Timothy Mitrik

Shaler Area

West Mifflin Area

Kambria Mossburg Jordan Patterson Lyla Paull

Michael Pfeffercorn Marilena Player Ashton Saunders

Adele Stamenov

Norwin Penn Hills Bethel Park McKeesport Hampton

Bethel Park

Mt. Lebanon

Zahara Myers

Gateway

Benjamin Price

Peters Township

Morgan Radi

Pine-Richland

Hailey Sanders

Shaler Area

Natalie Shaffer

Deer Lakes

Lily Shuey Caden Zhao

Norwin

South Fayette Shady Side Academy

North Allegheny

Sewickley Academy North Hills

Sylvie Ericksen Aletha Foster Charles Hahl

Mt. Lebanon Franklin Regional

Ryan Kim Ian Munn Abigail Ney

Fox Chapel Pine-Richland

Kate Moore Bailey Ringloff Cam Wallace

North Allegheny

Violet Kucler

Plum

North Allegheny

Lilly Larkin

Thomas Jefferson

Andrew Purucker

Bethel Park

Enzo Washowich

Fox Chapel

Avonworth

Franklin Regional

Carlee Santel

Yough

Jonathan Uh

Fox Chapel North Allegheny

OBOE Maia Gomez

Josh Spencer

Norwin

Bethel Park Mt. Lebanon

Upper St. Clair North Allegheny

TROMBONE Ethan Alberter

Bethel Park

Aidan Allen

North Hills

Elliot Broyles Montour

Felix Kammerer

Trinity Christian

Gavin Lichok

Chartiers-Houston

Franklin Regional

Dawson Cummings

David Willey

Jacob Miller

Penn Hills

Ryan Noir

Baldwin North Allegheny

Leonidas Vandapel

Fox Chapel

Plum

Trinity Christian Pine-Richland

Kyriaki Smith Jayda Spencer

Upper St. Clair Chartiers-Houston

Upper St. Clair

BASSOON Marina Dunham

North Allegheny

Benjamin Glass

Zoey Roberts

Fox Chapel

Sewickley Academy

Shady Side Academy Bethel Park

Norwin Bethel Park

Moon Baldwin

Fox Chapel

Russell Delsignore

Peters Township

North Allegheny

Burrell

Pine-Richland

Franklin Regional

Kayla Shaari

Shaler Area

Wesley Duncan Daniel Goss

Edward Kim

Bethel Park

TRUMPET Zach Bush

Pine-Richland

Athena Zhang

North Hills

Henry Cramer

Madeline Kolenc AJ Schmidt

Mt. Lebanon

Brady McKiernan

Ashlyn Casale Nia Hanington

Keystone Oaks

Keystone Oaks

FLUTE Vanessa Amayo

West Allegheny

North Hills

Eric Drozda

HARP Aislynn Senn

Neyla Hinedi

Bethel Park

North Allegheny

Julius Mendenhall

Avonworth

Andreh De La Torre-Alvarado

TUBA Adam Briggs

Carter Smeal

Hannah Yang

Pine-Richland

HORN Kaleb Amick

CLARINET Seoyoung Bang

Andrew Pleskovich

Darcy Vilkner

Ben Ma

Fox Chapel

East Allegheny

Braydon Parker

Ellie Tang

Joseph Lee

Joshua Shah

CELLO Owen Chen Albert Dong

Eleanor DeMann

Riverview

Audrey Schotting

Grace Zhou

McKeesport

Quaker Valley

Lucian Mikush

Elliott Drake Deer Lakes

Mt. Lebanon

Victoria Krappweiss

The Ellis School

Jerry Yu

Trinity Area

Greta Coleman

Anna Delale O'Connor

Fox Chapel

Quaker Valley

BASS Michael Costello

North Allegheny North Allegheny

PERCUSSION Tiernan Jenkins Wesley Madge

Mt. Lebanon

Chartiers Valley

Jack Murray-Krezan Luke Snedecor Jason Stough

Fox Chapel Kiski Area Avella

PIANO Mary Helen Barr, Professional

PARTICPATING SCHOOLS AND DIRECTORS Mary Kendall, Albert Gallatin HS

Noah Kilgus, Avella Area HS Cory Neville, Avonworth HS Emery Palmer, Baldwin HS Chad Thompson, Bethel Park HS Stephanie Glover, Bethel Park HS Michael Pagnotta, Burrell HS Erika Pierce, Chartiers Valley HS Traci Kelly, Chartiers Valley HS Bud Smokovich, Chartiers-Houston HS Leanne Scholl, Deer Lakes HS Ted DiSanti, Greensburg Central Catholic HS Stephen Ehrlich, East Allegheny HS Daryl Lesnik, Fox Chapel Area HS Mairi Cooper, Fox Chapel Area HS Nicholas Nutter, Franklin Regional HS Dennis Persin, Gateway HS Ryan Czekaj, Greater Latrobe HS Ryan Meyer, Hampton HS Bill Eibeck, Keystone Oaks HS Rich Smith, Keystone Oaks HS Shawn Pityk, Kiski Area HS Sarah Persin, McKeesport Area HS Cyndi Mancini, Montour HS Nicholas Barthen, Moon Area HS Brett McCutcheon, Mt. Lebanon HS Douglas Reichenfeld, Mt. Lebanon HS Michael Buckstein, Mt. Pleasant HS Sarah Lavelle, North Allegheny Int. & Sr. HS

Emily Rickard, North Allegheny Int. HS Todd Stefan, North Allegheny Sr. HS Len Lavelle, North Hills HS Lucas Beaver, North Hills HS Nick Vranesevic, North Hills HS Michael Szymanski, Norwin HS Tim Daniels, Norwin HS Michael Berkey, Penn Hills HS David Young, Peters Township HS Stephen McGough, Peters Township HS Will Guess, Pine-Richland HS David Belchick, Pine-Richland HS Bethany Loy, Plum HS Andrew Bronkaj, Plum HS Corrie Nye, Quaker Valley HS Jason Libell, Riverview HS Brian Buckley, Sewickley Academy Jeff Gross, Shady Side Academy Milan Tepshich, Shaler Area HS Seth McCall, Shaler Area HS Cloe Hall, South Fayette HS Simon Cummings, The Ellis School James Mirabella, Thomas Jefferson HS Chloe Brendle, Trinity HS Mark Maurer, Trinity Christian HS Karen Chisholm, Upper St. Clair HS Nick Deutsch, Upper St. Clair HS T.J. Fox, West Allegheny HS Jeff Kesser, West Mifflin Area HS Melanie Chmay, Yough HS

2024-2025 PMEA DISTRICT 1 EXECUTIVE BOARD President……………….………………………………...…...….Meagan Bruno, West Allegheny Vice President……………………………………..………...….……….Lucas Beaver, North Hills Immediate Past President………………………..……………… Eryn Carranza, South Fayette Treasurer…………………………..……...….….……......……...William Eibeck, Keystone Oaks Secretary………………………..………….…………………………Jamie Gore, Southmoreland Festival Coordinator…………………...……………………...…………..Cyndi Mancini, Montour Fest Coordinator………………………………………..…………….Rachel Skilone, Bethel Park Web Editor…………………………………….………………….Mark Santore, Laurel Highlands High Ed. Representative/State Rep……………..…..Jessica Vaughan-Marra, Seton Hill Univ.

High Ed. Representative………………………...……………Christopher Mara, Seton Hill Univ.

Curriculum & Instruction…………………………………………..……..Aaron Booz, Bethel Park Professional Development & Advocacy Committee Advocacy Chair—Galen McKinney, Brentwood MPA Representative—John Seybert, Upper St. Clair HS Representative—Daniels, Norwin Jr. High/MS Representative—Ben Cook, Elizabeth Forward Elementary Representative—Taylor Powell, Penn Trafford Content Area Representatives Band—Ryan Czekaj, Greater Latrobe Choir—Amanda Rosco, East Allegheny Orchestra—Jeanne Tupper, South Fayette 2024-2025 PMEA STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President—Brett Keith, Northern Bedford County Immediate Past President—Scott Cullen, Octorara President Elect—Rebecca Sensor, DuBois Executive Director—PMEA Executive Office

WEST MIFFLIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT 2024-2025 ADMINISTRATORS Superintendent: Mr. Jeffrey Soles Assistant Superintendent: Dr. Jeffrey Solomon Director of Finance & Operations: Mr. Edward Wehrer Director of Pupil Services: Mrs. Noelle Haney Director of Special Education: Dr. Dayna Sikora Facilities Director: Mr. Mark Zidek Music Department Head: Mr. Devon Smeal West Mifflin High School Administration Head Principal, Mr. Chad Licht Assistant Principal, Mr. Robert Yeschenko

BETHEL PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT 2024-2025 ADMINISTRATORS Superintendent: Dr. James Walsh Assistant Superintendent for K-8 Education: Mrs. Mandi Figlioli Director of Literacy, Programs and Accountability: Mrs. Elizabeth Wells Assistant Superintendent for Facilities & Operations: Dr. Mark Korcinsky Supervisor of Facilities & Operations: Mr. Dan Sloan Director of Financial and Personnel Services: Mr. Anthony Piscioneri Bethel Park High School Administration Head Principal, Mr. Joe Villani Principal, Mr. Jim Fodse Principal, Mr. Keith Walters Auditorium Coordinator, Mr. Christopher Plummer