FALL RIVER: The Lockview High School senior concert band has returned with a gold medal from the Heritage International Music Festival held in New York City.
The Fall River-based school’s 99 band students, under the direction of Joseph Cormier, wrapped up their impressive international tour by taking gold and first overall at the festival with a high score of 93.
Besides this gold medal, they also took top spot in flute ensemble with a 92 and had a high-mark of 91 in the chamber choir-volare (non-competitive class). The school’s jazz band earned silver with a mark of 87.
The concert band was awarded the festival’s prestigious Adjudicators Award for most outstanding concert band performance.
Lockview also had two individual award winners at the event, which attracted 1,500 students from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Boston, California, Texas, New York, Florida, Virginia, Alberta and Nova Scotia.
Christine Hicks took home the Heritage Music Festival’s maestro award for outstanding flute solo, musical ability, leadership and sensitivity for flute ensemble and senior concert band, while Sophia Nickel received a Heritage Music Festival maestro for outstanding vocal solo, musical ability, leadership and sensitivity for jazz vocals and Lockview Chamber Choir-Volare.
Besides the competition, the band also enjoyed many features in and around New York City. These included Mid Evil Times Dinner Theatre, Broadway shows including The Lion King and Blue Man Show, as well as city tours of New York, Boston and a cruise and dance on the Circle Cruise ship following the awards ceremony.
“The tour was a wonderful learning experience for 99 students, more than could ever be accomplished in a few days of classes,” Cormier said. “Playing well and doing our best to represent our school and community was the goal. The awards were a bonus. The students were awesome the entire trip. For many it was a trip of a lifetime.”
Cormier and the students wished to extend a thanks to the wonderful chaperones and Lockview High principal Donna MacKenzie and her team for incredible vision and support of this wonderful venture.
“We’d also like to send a warm than you to Fall River, Beaver Bank and surrounding communities for their endless support over the years of our music program,” Cormier said.