Middlesex Middle School Jazz Ensemble Performs for Ox Ridge Students!

The Middlesex Middle School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. James Carter, shared their music with students and staff members at Ox Ridge Elementary School on Tuesday, June 12th.  

DHS Concert Choir and Tudor Singers Impress at Great East Music Festival!

Members of the Darien High School Concert Choir and Tudor Singers pose with their award plaques from the Great East Adjudicated Music Festival held in Springfield, Massachusetts on May 19.  The Concert Choir was awarded a Gold rating, and the Tudor Singers earned a Platinum rating (the highest designation given). Both ensembles are under the direction of Christopher Andrade.

Middlesex Jazz Ensemble Performs at Darien Senior Center

The Darien Senior Center was in for a treat on Thursday May 31st when Jim Carter (MMS Jazz Ensemble Director) brought the Middlesex Middle School Jazz Band to entertain with a lunch time concert.  The band launched into a jazz classic by Bud Green called “Sentimental Journey” featuring Cosmo Amatruda (Grade 8) on trumpet before moving on to other pieces such as “Mas Que Nada” by Jorge Ben, featuring Jake Dansker (Grade 8) on alto sax.  They rounded off the morning with a rousing number by Stevie Wonder, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”, with Jack McDermott (Grade 8) on trumpet and Austin Ennor (Grade 7) on tenor sax.  After the concert, the Darien students joined their enthusiastic jazz fan Senior Center audience for lunch and good conversation.

Pictured:

Bottom row L-R:  Paige Domenici, Katie Keating, Ryan Hoffman, Amelia Del Bene, Cillian Hallinan

Row 2  L-R:  Will Hopper, Bohdan Czebiniak, Nick Huffman, Teddy Peters, Dylan DeRiso, Charlotte Krueger

Row 3 L-R:  Luke Riordan (trumpet), Oliver West, Will Abbott, Austin Ennor, Khrystos Yika,

Row 4 L-R:  Cosmo Amatruda, Jake Dansker, Jack McDermott, Mr. Jim Carter (director), Drew Passaretti

Darien Elementary Honors Ensembles Perform at Music Festival

The 2018 Elementary Honors Band directed by teachers Colin Walters and Krista DiPietro.

The 2018 Elementary Honors Orchestra directed by teacher Jane Minnis and Dawn Hanley.

The 2018 Elementary Honors Chorus directed by teachers Kathleen Theisen and Ruth Lettera.

Congratulations to all of the 2018 Darien Elementary Honors Ensembles at the Music in the Parks Festival at Central Connecticut State University on Saturday, June 2. The Elementary Honors Orchestra turned in a Superior rated performance and earned an overall score of 96, which is the highest score a Darien honors orchestra has ever achieved.  The young orchestra impressed the judges with their artistry, musicality, stage presence, quality tone and rhythmic precision.  The orchestra is directed by Jane Minnis and Dawn Hanley. The Darien Elementary Honors Chorus directed by Kathleen Theisen and Ruth Lettera received a 1^st place trophy and was also awarded a trophy for the Best Overall Chorus at the festival.  The Elementary Honors Band, directed by Colin Walters and Krista DiPietro, turned in a strong performance and received an Excellent rating from the festival judges.

All of the students were rewarded for their excellent performances and fine musicianship by enjoying the afternoon at the Lake Compounce Amusement Park.

Hindley's Principal and the Pea is a Hit at Hindley!

Mrs. Kathy Knapp's third grade classes at Hindley School presented their version of "The Principal and the Pea" to the entire school, on May 31 and then again on Friday, June 1 to a standing room only audience of parents and friends. The performance featured the students singing, acting, dancing, and playing recorders. The third grade classroom teachers at Hindley are Joe Cahill, Julia Belmonte, Laura Coupe and Ryan Healy. Congratulations to the entire Hindley team for an awesome performance!