District musicians being recognized

It has been a very busy stretch for the Deer Lakes music department with a number of district musicians having been chosen to perform in district and regional performances.

PMEA JUNIOR HIGH DISTRICT ORCHESTRA
Freshman Abby Smagala on violin, eighth grader Lizzie Orosz on viola and seventh grader Leif DeForce-Petersen on violin, will perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Junior High District Orchestra March 16 and 17 at Mt. Lebanon High School.  The concert will be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday, March 17.

PMEA REGION 1 CHOIR
Seniors Sean Burke and Sky Dickey were selected to perform in the PMEA Region 1 Choir.  The will participate in a three day festival Feb. 28 through March 2 at Butler Area Senior High School.  Both young men plan to pursue music in college.

PMEA ELEMENTARY STRING FEST
Fifth graders Josie Lukes on violin, and Taylor Maher on cello, will join sixth graders Ava Hansen on cello, and Jenna Hohmann on violin, in the PMEA Elementary String Fest concert at North Hills MS at 7 p.m., on Friday, March 2. Duquesne’s Dr. Stephen Benham will conduct the program.

STRINGS NORTH
Twelve Deer Lakes High School students were chosen to perform in the 2018 the Strings North Orchestra Festival on February 14 at Shaler Area Middle School.  The students, who performed under the direction of music teacher and band director Mrs. Leanne Scholl, were Nicole Brennan, Taylor Carratura, Alyssa Colberg, Kiera Cutright, Sky Dickey, Alyssa Keelin, Liz Kepple, Madison Madine, Ben Ramsey, Abby Smagala, Gabby Weber and Lexi Yates.

The Deer Lakes students were accompanied at the festival by some of the most talented student strings musicians from Mars Area, Moon Area, North Hills, Quaker Valley, Riverview, and Shaler Area.  

PMEA SENIOR HIGH DISTRICT ORCHESTRA
Sophomore cellist Nikki Brennan was Deer Lakes’ lone selection to perform in the PMEA Senior High District Orchestra February 8 to 10 at Gateway High School in Monroeville.  Dr. Jason Worzbyt from Indiana University of Pennsylvania served as the program’s conductor.

PMEA HONORS CHOIR
Earlier this year, under the direction of Mr. Matthew Derby, Deer Lakes High School students Sean Cunningham, Grace Grill, Mara Van Thiel and Sky Dickey participated in the PMEA Honors Choir at Trinity High School in Washington, Pa.