Barker Hosts First NCMEA All-County Festival

Our very own Barker High School welcomed local school musicians to the NCMEA (Niagara County Music Educators Association) All-County Festival this January. It was the first festival of the year and Drew Burke, the Director of Choral Activities at the District, said it was a huge honor to host schools all over the county who sent their most talented students. “We hosted the Elementary Band, Junior High Chorus and the Senior High Vocal Jazz Groups,” Burke stated. “We had several students who represented us and performed which filled us all with a tremendous amount of pride.” These students were selected based on prepared solos that were judged by a NCMEA adjudicator during the audition process. 

Pratt Elementary Band students included Adam Grabowski and Peyton Green while Chace Atwater, Kasey Thering, Cerenity Street and Jeremy Weakland, Jr. were part of the Junior High Chorus. 
 
The second festival was held at the Royalton-Hartland Central School District. Our very own Adia Nestoros, who was selected as a soloist, and Daniel Aguilera were in the Elementary Chorus. The Senior High Band included Addisyn Weller (Clarinet/Sophomore), Ivy Feuersanger (Flute/Sophomore) and Riley Marciszewski (French Horn/Junior). Music teacher Jeffrey Rappold said, "The experience was fun and they loved Director Amy Steiner’s (Buffalo Niagara Concert Band) high-energy rehearsal pace."

Festival III was held at the Newfane Central School District. The four Senior High Chorus members from Barker were Addisyn Weller, Naomi Bish, Julia Kalynycz and Jillian Fisk. In the Junior High Band, Barker was represented by Lydia Atwater and Diarra Taliaferro.

On April 18th, twelve Barker students participated in the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) and the regional level solo festival. Addisyn Weller, Olivia Voss, Naomi Bish, Jillian Fisk, Ava Kelemen, Trenton Tillinghast, Chace Atwater, Jeremy Weakland Jr., Cerenity Street, Kasey Thering, MaKenzie Hill, and Ariane Watts represented Barker with pride and class.

(Top-bottom, L-R): Addisyn Weller, Ivy Feuersanger, and Riley Marciszewski. Adam Grabowski and Peyton Greene. Diarra Taliaferro and Lydia Atwater. Adia Nestoros and Daniel Aguilera. Addisyn Weller, Naomi Bish, Jillian Fisk, and Julia Kalynycz. Cerenity Street, Jeremy Weakland, Jr., Chace Atwater, and  Kasey Thering.