DANVERS — Students and educators from Danvers are attending the National Association for the Music Education Eastern Division Conference in Hartford, Connecticut, this weekend.
The group includes Danvers High School juniors Piper Brett, Bella Drakos, Ella Guitard, Kaelin Hampe and Dailin Martinez, and freshman Emma Anderson, who is filling in for sophomore Brooke Wilichoski, all members of the school’s vocal ensemble, Vocal Alliance.
They will perform under the direction of high school Choral Director Alex Grover during a featured concert at the conference that runs Thursday, April 24, through Sunday, April 27, according to a statement from Danvers Public Schools.
Brett will also perform with the All-Eastern Mixed Chorus made up of top student musicians from across the East Coast. Brett is one of only a few Massachusetts students to be chosen for the chorus and had been previously selected to the Massachusetts All-State Chorus.
She is also a member of the Danvers High School a cappella group Falconize and other performing arts groups at the school, as she is a singer, flutist, color guard member and actor. She is also an officer of the school’s LGBTQ+ student organization PRISM.
“It is always rewarding to see our students and educators showcase their talents and knowledge on a bigger stage,” Superintendent Dan Bauer said in the statement. “We are proud of them and grateful for the positive attention they bring to our district.”
Music teachers Grill Gall, from Highlands Elementary School, and Jennifer Dennett, Riverside Elementary School, will present workshops at the concert.
Dennett will lead the season “Play and Possibilities: Exploring the Principles of Orff Schulwerk,” while Gall will lead the session “Creative Movement for Musicians.” Both will present “Folk Dance as a Springboard to Student Creativity” together.
Both teachers have received the Donna Nagel Award for Excellence in General Music from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association.
“The participation of Danvers students and educators at the NAfME Eastern Division Conference is a significant honor and a testament to the district’s commitment to excellence in music education,” Grover said in the statement.
“Their contributions will be seen, heard, and celebrated by music educators from across the Eastern United States.”