Last Friday, Ellsworth Elementary Middle School was transformed into a regional music hub as it hosted the District VI Honors Festival for the very first time.
The event began with kids arriving from all over the area at 8:30 in the morning and was a day-long showcase of talent, discipline, and community, bringing together the region’s finest young musicians for a marathon of rehearsals and performance.
Starting first thing Friday, the entire EEMS music wing was full with musicians rehearsing for hours before they hit the big stage. Students from over a dozen schools spent the day working under the guidance of expert directors from other schools, perfecting complex pieces for both the District VI Honors Concert Choir and the Honors Concert Band. After a full day of preparation, the event moved from the rehearsal rooms to the EEMS gym for a grand finale concert at 5:00 PM.
The District VI Honors Band performed under the expert direction of Steve Orlofsky, while the District VI Honors Choir was led by a familiar face: Kaitlin Girgis. A proud graduate of Ellsworth, Girgis returned to her roots to lead the ensemble, accompanied by Colin Graebert on piano - and it was certainly an emotional "Welcome Back" for all the right reasons!
Students flocked to Ellsworth from a wide collection of schools in the area! The list of schools sending their musicians is as follows:
Blue Hill Consolidated School
Brewer Community School
Brooklin School
Brooksville Elementary School
Bucksport Middle School
Center Drive School
Conners Emerson School
Deer Isle-Stonington School
Hancock Grammar School
Penobscot School
Rose M Gaffney Elementary School
Trenton Elementary School
Ellsworth Elementary Middle School
We are so thankful for our conductors from all over the area, and all of the music departments that came with their brightest stars to put on an awesome show. Yes, it was just the first year, but we're so excited to make this an annual tradition!