Three music students selected for All-State Orchestra

[vc_row fullwidth=”yes”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Three LPPACS students were selected for and participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s All-State Orchestra festival last week in Lancaster, Pa.

Hannah Litz, viola, Nathanael Turner, violin, and Jacob Worst, viola, won the honor of attending three days of orchestra music rehearsals that culminated with a concert on April 20.

“It is a huge honor for students to make it to states. It takes a great deal of talent, dedication, and perseverance to perform at that level,” said Dr. Todd Goodman, artistic education director.

Students were first selected by a panel for the district-level festival, which took place at Beaver High School in February. All of the students selected for districts auditioned to move on to the regional festival with the Western Region Orchestra, made up of musicians from half the state — from State College west.

At the regional festival, which was held at Sharon High School in March, the students auditioned for PMEA All-States and were selected to play in the orchestra.

“If you just think about states in terms of percentages, only about 15-20 percent of the students who make it to the district ensemble move on through the process and win a spot at the state-level festival,” Goodman said, “and when you look at that competition from an instrument level, it’s even more difficult. We are very proud of all of our students who make it to any of the district, regional, and state festivals.”

Goodman said Lincoln Park is lucky to have “very talented and dedicated students.”

This was Turner’s third time attending the state festival, and the second invitation for Litz and Worst.

“In the past 10 years, we have had students perform with the state orchestra all but one of those years, and sometimes we had two or three students in the group. The next two levels for this festival series is All-East and All-Nation, which happen every two years, and we have had, in the past, representatives at both of those festivals.

Litz, a junior music major, is the daughter of Kim and Alan Litz of Center Township.

Turner, a senior music major, is the son of Stacey and Daniel Turner of Beaver.

Worst, a senior music major, is the son of Brian and Renee Worst of Burgettstown.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]