ART
Beaux Arts Student Artist Showcase
Four Westminster art students have been juried into the seventh annual Beaux Arts Student Artist Showcase; two of them won awards. The middle school students are Chelsey Puig (grade 8), who won the second place award, and Cellini Kim (grade 8). The high school students are Christina Olivos (grade 12), who won second place, and Amanda Miehe (grade 10). All four pieces were of trains done in batik. Their artwork will be on display in the Lowe Art Museum starting January 16 through the Beaux Arts Festival, January 19 and 20, 2008. The opening is at the Lowe from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, January 16.
High and middle school art teachers were permitted to submit up to five entries. More than 250 pieces were submitted and 110 were juried into the show. Two awards were given to high school and middle school students in four categories: painting, graphics, photography and mixed media. Plus there was a best in show award. Westminster won two of the 17 awards. We are very proud of Chelsey and Christina.
Youth Fair
Congratulations to the six Westminster art students who were juried into the Youth Fair's Annual Fine Arts Show. Their artwork will hang in the Fine Arts Gallery, March 27 through April 13, 2008.
The honorees are:
Sarah Livingston – grade 3
Alexandra Palacio – grade 4
Vanessa Martinez– grade 5
Katrina Caceras – grade 12
Award Winners:
Carolina Casal – 1st place for grade 8
Giselle Hernandez – 3rd place for grade 11
Scholastic Art Show
Approximately 1,800 individual artworks were entered into the 85th Scholastic Art Awards regional show at the Miami Art Museum. Of the only 200 pieces that were chosen for the show, two were by Westminster students and one of those earned a Silver Key award: Giselle Hernandez (grade 11). Carolina Casal (grade 8) also made the show.
Junior Orange Bowl
It's always a pleasure to announce good news. Seven Westminster art students won purchase awards in the annual Youth Arts Competition sponsored by the Junior Orange Bowl Committee and the Miami Children's Hospital. The award winners were: Jessica Fennell (grade 9), Samantha Kaplan (grade 9), Amy Jo Hernandez (grade 9), Taylor Patchen (grade 10), Nathalie Maio (grade 10), Russell Lonsdale (grade 11), and Katrina Caceres (grade 12). A reception was held at the Miami Children's Hospital on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 for the students.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Three Westminster art students were juried into and won honorable mention awards in the annual Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Challenge art contest for South Florida middle and high schools. They are Amanda Miehe (grade 10), Carolina Casal (grade 8) and Anaelsie DuBocq (grade 7).
BAND
Congratulations to the following high school students for receiving Superior or Excellent ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Association’s Solo and Ensemble Performance Assessment:
High School
Carter Moylan - Superior
Carlos Muniz - Superior
Andres Salabarria - Superior
Melanine Massa - Excellent
Scott Maltby - Excellent
Alan Swindoll – Superior - Qualified for State Solo and Ensemble
The following middle school and high school band students were selected and participated in the Florida Bandmasters Association’s District Honors Band. They joined other South Florida private schools and Monroe County public schools band students in the 2008 Honors Band Concert:
Middle School
Brittany Armstrong - Flute
Michael Zaldivar - Clarinet
Jeffrey Swindoll - Mass Clarinet
Gabriel Loboguerrero - Tenor Saxophone
Cristian Perez - Trombone
Victor Mora - Tuba
High School
Melanie Massa - Flute
Natalie Roberts - Clarinet
Alan Swindoll - Bass Clarinet
Carlos Muniz - Trumpet
Scott Maltby - Trombone
Andrew Carson - Tuba
Carter Moylan - Tuba
Friday, March 14, the high school band performed for the Florida Bandmaster’s Association District Music Performance Assessment. The hard work and many hours of rehearsal resulted in their achievement of an overall SUPERIOR performance. This qualifies our band to perform at the State MPA the week of April 14-18.
CHOIR
2008 CHORAL ALL-STATE CHOIR MEMBERS
The students listed below have been selected for membership in one of the Florida Music Educators Association All-State Choirs. The audition process was comprised of three tests including a written theory test, an oral sight-reading test, and an oral singing/repertoire test. Test scores were then averaged and each voice part was ranked district wide with membership cards going only to the few highest scorers in each voice part. We are very proud of these students and recognize the hard work it took to achieve this goal. They will perform in Tampa at the FMEA Convention in January, 2008.
9-12 Reading Choir
Natalia Aguero
Natalia is one of only 25 altos statewide to be chosen for membership in this elite choir where selection is based exclusively on sight-reading ability9-12 Concert Mixed Chorus
Alexandra Vargas – Soprano I
Daniel Shafer – Tenor II
9-12 Men’s Chorus
Daniel Dominguez – Bass I
Robbie Dolan – Bass I
Taylor Kniseley – Bass II
7-8 Concert Mixed Chorus
Ana-Maria Tablada – Soprano
Ashley Manso – Soprano
Giulia Cole – Alto
Renee Lassonde – Alto
Alexandra Tietjen – Alto
Joshua Beers – Tenor
7-8 Treble Chorus
Leah Livingston – Soprano I
Carlina Parker – Soprano II
Adriana Azevedo – Soprano II
Cellini Kim – Soprano II
Camila Aramburu – Alto
Cecillia Alfonso – Alto
4-5 Elementary Chorus
(selection by vocal audition)
Alexandra Betancourt
2007-08 State ACDA MS Male Honor Choir
Christian Argamasilla, Joshua Beers, Carlos Rey, Erik Rodriguez, and Jessie Valiente were selected by audition tape for membership and performed at the State American Choral Director's Convention held at the Seminole Community College in Lake Mary.
2008 Miami ACDA MS Mixed Honor Choir
The following students were selected to participate in the ACDA Miami Honor Choir, singing with the best MS students in our area and led by recognized choral clinicians:
Christian Argamasilla
Joshua Beers
Markus Guerrero
Albert Juliachs
Carlos Rey
Erik Rodriguez
Jessie Valiente
Cecillia Alfonso
Camila Aramburu
Adriana Azevedo
Giulia Cole
Renee Lassonde
Leah Livingston
Ashley Manso
Carlina Parker
Jeanine Perez
Ana-Maria Tablada
Alexandra Tietjen
Victoria Vailant
2008 Miami ACDA HS Mixed Honor Choir
Robbie Dolan
Rosemar Gonzalez
Erik Hallstrand
Taylor Kniseley
Irene Nunez
Kristina Patchen
Alexandra Vargas
2008 Junior Orange Bowl Caroling Contest
The MS Concert Girls' Ensemble won the $500 Rotary Club Award for the most unusual seasonal music.
The MS Concert Girls' Chorus earned second place and $550 in the large chorus division at this annual event in Coral Gables.
The WCS HS Honors Girls’ Ensemble earned Runner-up and $600 in the HS Ensemble division.
2008 Florida Vocal Association District 16 Music Performance Assessments
HS Solo & Ensemble evaluations
WCS HS Honors Girls’ Ensemble – Traditional Ensemble Entry – Superior Rating
WCS HS Honors Girls’ Ensemble – Special Category Entry – Superior Rating
WCS HS Women’s Chorale – Traditional Ensemble Entry – Superior Rating
Alexa Freyre – solo – Superior rating
Alexandra Muinos – Superior rating
Alexandra Vargas – Superior rating
Robbie Dolan – Superior rating
Kristina Patchen – Superior rating
Rosemar Gonzalez – Superior rating
HS Choral evaluations
WCS HS Concert Mixed Chorus – straight Superior Ratings
WCS HS Concert Women’s Chorus – straight Superior Ratings
MS Solo & Ensemble evaluations
WCS MS Girls’ Ensemble – Traditional Ensemble Entry – Superior Rating
WCS MS Girls’ Ensemble – Special Category Entry – Superior Rating
WCS MS Men’s Ensemble – Traditional Ensemble Entry – Superior Rating
Carlina Parker – solo – Superior rating
Krista Pedersen – solo – Superior rating
Graziella Pastor – solo – Excellent rating
Jilina Parker – solo - Excellent rating
Maria Vinent – solo – Excellent rating
MS Choral evaluations
WCS MS Concert Mixed Chorus – Superior Rating
WCS MS Concert Women’s Chorus – straight Superior Ratings
2008 HS Festivals of Music - Atlanta
The HS Concert Women took 1st place and a Superior rating
The HS Showchoir took 1st place and a Superior rating
The choirs also received the overall grand prize for highest scores regardless of classification
2008 Middle School Festival Disney - Orlando
WCS was the only middle school to receive superior ratings, and only one high school earned superior ratings.
In four of the five events entered they earned Superior ratings including:
Mixed Concert Choir
Girls’ Concert Choir
Women’s Ensemble
Men’s Ensemble
The Showchoir entry earned a respectable Excellent rating and second place in that classification.
The Mixed Concert Choir earned BEST IN CLASSIFICATION
The Girls’ Concert Choir also earned BEST IN CLASSIFICATION
Also earning the top awards given for having the highest scores regardless of classification were:
The Mixed Concert Chorus – Gold award for highest superior score regardless of classification
The Girls’ Concert Chorus – Silver award for the second highest superior score regardless of classification
The Women’s Ensemble – Bronze award for the third highest superior score regardless of classification
DRAMA
WCS theatre students earned the following at their District Individual Event Festival.
Good
Torie Dann - Ensemble Acting
Hannah North - Ensemble Acting
Laura Pons - Ensemble Acting
Camille Manso - Ensemble Acting
Eric Outerbridge - Student Directing
Laura Smith - Publicity Design
Excellent
Emily Dominguez - Publicity Direction
Lindsey Burnley - Costume Design
Stephanie Erichsen - Costume Design
Adrian Ruiz - Set Design
Chris Alexander - Monologue
Jennifer Eckhart - Monologue
Jillian Schwiep - Duet Acting
Silvia Amador -Duet Acting
Sam Levy - Ensemble Acting
Nicole Ulloa - Ensemble Acting
Chris Alexander - Ensemble Acting
Jillian Schwiep - Ensemble Acting
Angelica Moreyra - Solo Musical
Ana Alvarez - Solo Musical
Nikolas Pineda - Mime
Aaron Agrasanchez - Mime
Torie Dann - Mime
Hannah North - Mime
Laura Pons - Mime
Camille Manso - Mime
Superior
Jon Diaz de la Portilla - Publicity Direction
Emily Smythe - Publicity Direction
Sophia Leonard - Publicity Direction
Nicole Ulloa - Costume Construction
Jon Diaz de la Portilla - Monologue
Angelica Moreyra - Duet Acting
Aaron Valdes - Duet Acting
Hannah North - Duet Acting
Alexa Freyre - Duet Acting
Angelica Moreyra - Group Musical
Emily Smythe - Group Musical
Jillian Schwiep - Group Musical
Silvia Amador - Group Musical
Ana Alvarez - Group Musical
Nicole Ulloa - Group Musical
Aaron Valdes - Group Musical
Chris Alexander - Group Musical
Jon Diaz de la Portilla - Group Musical
Nikolas Pineda - Mime
Silva Amador - Mime
Aaron Valdes - Mime
Critic's Choice
Jon Diaz de la Portilla - Publicity Direction
Angelica Moreyra - Duet Scene
Aaron Valdes - Duet Scene
Many of these students will move on to represent WCS at the State Thespian Festival in April.
ORCHESTRA
High School Chamber and Concert Orchestras including Chamber and Concert Middle School Orchestras received Superior ratings at the Florida Orchestra Association District Music Performance Assessments. Both HS orchestras traveled to the west coast for State MPA’s.
Congratulations to the following students for participating in the Florida All-State Orchestras: Colin Lee 7/8 All-State orchestra, Julie Trembley 9/10 All-State Orchestra, Kirsten Trembley 11/12 All-State Orchestra.
Congratulations to the following students in receiving Superior ratings at the Florida Orchestra Association's Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment:
High School
Ana Alvarez, Taylor Burchell, Rebecca Coy, Adam Gaschott, Rachel Kniseley, Taylor Kniseley, Cameron McBroom-Fitter, Wilson Medder, Dalia Millan, Marcus Ojito, Katie Pappas, Mike Perez, Jackie Rodriguez, Monica Rocha, Kourtnie Toimil, Julie Trembley, Kirsten Trembley, and Adolfo Urrutia.
Middle School
Stephen Allen, Valentina Battistoni, Christopher Boyett, Kyle Meerbott, Colin Lee, and A.J. Schlecht
