Schools
Sedgwick Students Excel at Music Festival
The West Hartford middle school students also had the opportunity to visit historical sites in Baltimore and Gettysburg.
West Hartford's music program has a long-standing history of success, and beginning at the middle school level many students have the opportunity to travel for performances as well as competitions.
Sedgwick Middle School's music department has been taking various groups of students on performance trips since the early 1980s. This spring, 79 musicians from Sedgwick's Jazz Band, First String, and Sounds had the opportunity to travel to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, visiting notable and historical sites as well as competing in a Showcase Music Festival.
Prior to the competition, the students toured Baltimore's Inner Harbor area and Camden Yards Ballpark. They also visited Gettysburg National Military Park, where the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg is being commemorated.
At the Showcase, all three ensembles received "Superior" ratings for their performances base on national music standards, said Sedgwick orchestra director Andrew Hopko.
In addition, at total of 12 individual awards were earned by students for solo performances. Those earning individual awards were: Yi-Lin Wang, Ellie Bavier, Jordana Graveley, Katie Kopp, Gary Battle, Josiah Blackwell-Lipkind, Alanna Uthgenannt, and Alex Held.
Following the competition, the students enjoyed a day of fun at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.
"The trip was a huge success with many stories and memories to remember for years," Hopko said in an email.
In the past, students from the Sedgwick music department have traveled to Canada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Florida.
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