Two Pentucket Regional High School students were accepted recently into the 2023-24 Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association Northeastern Senior District Music Festival and will perform next month.
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, Principal Brenda Erhardt and Fine and Performing Arts Department Chair David Schumacher said seniors Ben Drescher of Merrimac, playing guitar, and Lily Friend of West Newbury, playing horn, competed against students in Grades 10-12 from across the northeast corner of Massachusetts to earn their spots. Drescher was accepted into the jazz band and Friend into the orchestra. They will participate in the Senior Festival Saturday, Jan. 6, at Lexington High School. Both students will move on to audition for a spot in the MMEA All-State Festival in January.
“Props to Ben and Lily and all of our students who auditioned this year! I congratulate them for their hard work and dedication,” said Schumacher.
The Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association Northeastern District encompasses school districts north and west of Boston, in the Merrimack Valley and on Cape Ann. It is a unit of the National Association for Music Education, among the world’s largest arts education organizations and the voice of music education in the United States.