WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, Principal Jonathan Seymour and Director of Jazz David Schumacher are pleased to share that a Pentucket Regional High School student has been accepted into the 2022 Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association (MMEA) Northeastern Senior District Music Festival.
Senior Spencer Magan of Groveland was one of four students accepted following the jazz trumpet auditions. Magan will participate in the Senior Festival, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Galvin Middle School in Wakefield. He also will be invited to audition in January for a spot in the All-State Jazz Band.
“The Senior Festival is returning indoors this year, so the MMEA Northeast Senior District reduced the number of acceptances this year to accommodate for COVID-19 physical distancing protocols,” Director Schumacher said. “This was an even more competitive audition process than usual, so Spencer’s selection is a special achievement.”
Magan has performed in the school’s Big Band and Concert Band for four years, and performs with the Jazz Combo this year as well. He is also heavily involved with the theatre arts program. He writes his own music and plans to major in music composition in college next year.
The Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association Northeastern District encompasses school districts north and west of Boston, in the Merrimack Valley and on Cape Ann. The District is a unit of the National Association for Music Education, among the world’s largest arts education organizations and the voice of music education in the United States.
“Congratulations to Spencer and all of our young musicians who took the opportunity to audition,” Principal Seymour said. “The Festival consists of the most outstanding high school musicians in the area and these students should be extremely honored to be considered.”
Superintendent Bartholomew and Director Schumacher are also pleased to announce that the school will offer two in-person concerts featuring student talent in December:
- Café Jazz, Friday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., in the Pentucket Regional High School cafeteria, featuring the Jazz Combo, Big Band and Improvisation Class (snow date, Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.). Food offerings will be limited out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Music Conservatory Concert, Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m., in the Pentucket Regional High School Auditorium (snow date, Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m.). The performance will be a series of rolling mini-concerts:
- 6:30 p.m., Middle School Choir and High School Choir
- 7 p.m., Middle School Orchestra and High School Orchestra
- 7:30 p.m., Middle School Percussion and High School Percussion
- 8 p.m., Middle School Band, High School Band, Middle School Jazz Band
The Conservatory Concert also will be live-streamed for those who prefer to watch from home.
Information on Pentucket Regional School District music programs and the Pentucket Music Boosters can be found at www.PentucketMusic.com.