Over the past month, 24 UPSD students were honored to represent the district at two choral festivals, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Elementary and Junior High District 11 Song Fests.

The PMEA District 11 Elementary Song Fest (grades 5 & 6) was held at the Hallowell Elementary School in the Hatboro-Horsham School District on March 14. UPSD was represented by 18 students at the event, five from Hereford Elementary: Olivia Hamm, Makensie Jabs, Haley Jeffries, Hailey Marinari and Myalee Simmon; five from Marlborough Elementary: Autumn Alderfer, Maggie Leese, Thomas Miani, Liz Stephany and Seth Yerger; and eight from the middle school: Cailyn Barger, Leo Cavallaro-Kraft, Lauren Donahue, Elsie Grourke, Zac Pierson, Bryce Shanafelt, Taylor Whitenight and Julianna Wolfe (group pictured below).

Students rehearsed most of the day at Hallowell Elementary, ahead of the evening performance. The 161-member choir was made up of top-notch 5th & 6th grade students from public schools in PMEA District 11 (Bucks & Montgomery counties). Jon Timmons, the Song Fest guest conductor, worked with the chorus on six pieces of music and movement exercises. The UPSD students especially enjoyed performing the songs “Firefly” and “Chantez Alleluia.” The evening concert was standing room only as the students performed the music with precision and a beautiful tone.

The PMEA District 11 Junior High Song Fest (grades 7-9) took place on April 4 at Colonial Middle School in Plymouth Meeting. Six of the approximately 150 participants from District 11 schools were 8th graders from UPSD. They included: Adriana Alas, Ryleigh Fisher, Liliana Goodrich, Jodie Homan, Tyler Lingenfelter and Jadyn Selfinger (group pictured below).

Like the Elementary Song Fest, students learned the music own their own at home and school, then participated in a day of rehearsals with guest conductor Steven Fisher, ahead of an evening concert. Students sung in several languages, including Zulu, Bemba (Chibemba) and Hebrew, and some favorite songs included “Bonse Aba,” “When you Believe” and “Weeping.”

The Upper Perkiomen Elementary Choruses are under the direction of Mrs. Margaret Lerch and the Upper Perkiomen Middle School Choir is under the direction of Mrs. Amanda Maldonado.