During the 2018–19 school year, along with other
accomplished music students across the United States and overseas in military
base schools, Matthew Mihalko practiced with dedication to gain a chair in his local, district and state music honor ensembles.
And now senior Matthew Mihalko will join the “best of the best” for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) 2019
All-National Honor Ensembles November 7 - 10, 2019, at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The Jazz Ensemble, Mixed Choir, Guitar Ensemble, and, new this year, Modern Band concerts will take place 7 – 10 pm, November 9,
and the Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band concerts will begin at 9:30am, November 10.
Matthew Mihalko has played the trumpet since fifth grade, and has many musical accomplishments on his resume. As a sophomore and junior, he was selected for the New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) All-State and has participated in the Broome County Music Educators Association (BCMEA) festivals since eighth grade. Matthew was also selected for the NYSSMA All-State Symphonic Band and has performed with the Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra for three seasons. He has soloed with the Endicott Community Band, and volunteered his time playing for area senior citizens with the Vestal High School Brass Quintet.
In addition to his musical interests, which also include Vestal High School’s Jazz Band and Vestal Marching Band, Matthew is a member of the National Honor Society and his interests include fishing, film musical scores, current world politics, astronomy and chemistry. His role models are Mr. Greg Harris, Band Teacher and Vestal Central School District’s Music Chair, and Mr. Tony Godoy, his private-lesson teacher.
The All-National Honor
Ensembles performers represent collaboration and creativity in its highest
musical form. The All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band,
symphony orchestra, mixed choir, jazz ensemble, guitar ensemble (now in its
second year), and modern band (new this year). Students were chosen through an
audition process. The concert band and symphony orchestra will each have 119
and 121 instrumentalists respectively, the jazz ensemble 20 instrumentalists,
the mixed choir 240 vocalists, the guitar ensemble 41 instrumentalists, and the
modern band 16 performers.
Selected students will be
rehearsing a challenging repertoire in preparation for performing under the
direction of six
of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Tesfa Wondemagegnehu
(Mixed Choir); Soo Han (Symphony Orchestra); Emily Threinen (Concert Band);
Todd Stoll with Camille Thurman (Jazz Ensemble); Bill Swick (Guitar Ensemble);
and Scott Burstein (Modern Band). All conductors have received top honors in
their field and will spend several days rehearsing with students before the
concert.
Names, schools and states, as
well as music directors, of the 557 2019 All-National Honor Ensemble students will
be available at nafme.org/ANHE.