Band Students to Perform in Solo and Ensemble Festival
Submitted by Mary Ann McGann
Three Westfield High School students will perform in the New Jersey State Solo and Ensemble Festival in April, an inaugural virtual event launched by Arts Ed NJ for the 2020-2021 school year to recognize student achievement in music education across the state.
Eleventh graders Conor Daly (trombone), Nate Oberstein (percussion), and Matthew Robinson (alto saxophone) advanced to the state festival after submitting video performances to a regional festival in February. Over 1,000 students participated in the regional festival, which was adjudicated by highly skilled judges. Each student performance received a ranking.
“Out of 30 total points, students who scored 28 points or higher advanced to the state finals,” says band director Christopher Vitale. “We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of Nate, Matt, and Conor. This has been a challenging year for musicians to stay motivated without public performances. These three students have gone above and beyond to push themselves to be better. They serve as an inspiration to all of us for how to navigate circumstances that may not be ideal.”
