Blog

Hazelwood North Middle School 8th Grade Orchestra students pose with director John Mazar, left. The students received an Excellent or a “I” (one) rating at the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association Middle Grades Orchestra Festival at Hazelwood Central High School. A rating of one is the highest a musical group may receive and is very difficult to obtain.

The Hazelwood North Middle School eighth grade orchestra received a “I” (one) rating at the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association Middle Grades Orchestra Festival, held at Hazelwood Central High School. The festival includes bands and choirs.

A “I”, or excellent rating, is the highest a musical group can receive and is very difficult to obtain.

Orchestra director John Mazar touted his students’ skills at the contest.

“The kids had been doing a phenomenal job in rehearsal and I knew that they could accomplish a “I” rating if they played the same way for the contest,” he said. “When we exited the stage, I knew they had a good chance of getting an ‘Excellent’ rating and it was one of the best performances I heard them give.

“The judges gave them great comments as it related to their ‘small size but mighty sound.’ When you go to the large group festival, the group is only judged on how well they play the music, so the only people you are competing against are your group.”

Trevor Lindsay has been playing the cello since he was in fourth grade.

“I was really happy about our rating because I didn’t think we would score that high compared to all of the other orchestras there and how big they were,” he said.

Kayla Bulva plays the viola; she also started in the fourth grade.

“Our score showed that we did well and if we got a one, we could shave Mr. Mazar’s head,” she said.

Monet Brown is a violinist with the group.

“I was very happy. We were the first ones in the morning half of the festival to get a one. I thought we would get a two,” Brown said.

Other Hazelwood orchestras that participated in the festival included Hazelwood North Middle’s seventh grade orchestra, also directed by Mazar, and Hazelwood Northwest Middle School’s orchestra, directed by Monica Holy.

Three different Hazelwood middle school bands attended the festival – Hazelwood Northwest Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade bands, directed by Eric Meurer, and Hazelwood North’s eighth grade band, directed by Deborah Moser.

“Our eighth grade band received a rating of III,” Moser said. “The band performed three pieces – Hopak, Romanza and Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite March. The band did a good job. Unfortunately, the only bass voice, the tuba player, was ill and could not attend the festival, hence the III rating.”

Jessica Arnold, the director of the Hazelwood Northwest Middle School Honor Choir, and her students participated in the middle school choir festival, as did Beth Duello, who directs the Hazelwood West Middle School Concert Choir, and her students.

“The honor choir from Hazelwood Northwest Middle School received a II rating at festival this year,” Arnold said. “The students worked very hard and sounded great. They represented themselves and our district very well.”

(Story courtesy of Hazelwood School District Communications Dept.)

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us