Lynn students to perform in music festival

LYNN – After auditions held in November of more than 1,100 students from more than 50 public and private schools around Massachusetts, seven Lynn Public Schools students were selected to participate in the Massachusetts Northeastern District Senior Music Festival.Lynn Classical junior Isaac Ardon and Lynn English students Ricardo Bonilla, Daniel Connors, Melody Gasca, Dennis Hernandez, Cameron Hinkle and Alise Rittershaus were selected along with 450 other students from grades nine through 12 to participate in the prestigious Festival, which is offered by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) as an enrichment opportunity providing a musical experience to talented young people.The students have been rehearsing for about four weeks with guest conductors from MMEA and will perform in a concert with the Senior District Concert Band, Orchestra, Chorus and Jazz Ensemble at Lowell High School today at 2 p.m.”Auditions were intense,” said Ricardo Bonilla, junior at Lynn English. “It’s crazy to see how many talented people are actually out there. I was really anxious but excited.”Bonilla will be singing in the chorus during the concert today and says he’s spent every minute of his free time practicing since being notified that he was selected.”Ever since we got our music, we’ve been practicing,” he said. “After school, during free periods, basically any time we had, we used.”Bonilla says he has been singing since he was in elementary school. He was also involved with the Lynn Public Schools String Ensemble in middle school and at the beginning of his freshman year and recently joined the Lynn English Concert Choir.Bonilla says his participation in Fine Arts throughout his school career has prepared him for something like being selected to be a part of the prestigious Massachusetts Northeastern District Senior Music Festival.”It’s such a great feeling knowing that I was given the opportunity to be a part of something like this,” he said.Bonilla gives credit to the Lynn Public Schools Fine Arts Department.”We’re blessed to have such a wonderful music department who allow us to have the same opportunities that they once had as children growing up,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize how much music can change a child’s world. The music programs offered throughout the Lynn Public School system give us a sense of hope and a nurturing environment which embraces our musical abilities and self expression.”Supervisor of Fine Arts Joe Picano says opportunities like this are given thanks to an ongoing partnership from the world famous Handel and Haydn Society due to a strong commitment of the Lynn Public Schools Fine Arts Department.”According to the standards of the Massachusetts Department of Education, our Fine Arts Department qualifies for the opportunity to have the prestigious Handel and Haydn Society’s assistance in the form of vocal coaching,” said Picano.For the past 10 years, Handel and Haydn Society has visited Lynn elementary, middle and high schools and has coached students’ musical talents because of the strong vocal programs offered through Lynn Public Schools.Picano says he believes the most impressive thing regarding the seven students who were selected to perform in the Festival is that they competed against students who have had private lessons since a young age.”Ninety-nine percent of the instruction that these (Lynn students) have had have been through our Fine Arts Department,” said Picano. “I have to give the credit to the teachers, they’re the work horses. If it wasn’t for the quality of the teachers, these kids would not have made it.”Picano says Lynn has the highest number of students in the state who have been awarded scholarships for private vocal, keyboard and theory coaching at the famed New England Conservatory in Boston.”I cannot say enough good things about Robin Baker (Educational Coordinator for Handel and Haydn) and her staff for giving our students these opportunities,” said Picano. “We are