PIHS music students shine in Big Apple
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle High School concert band, jazz band, chorus and jazz choir struck gold recently as they competed at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City.
OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS — Kyle Goupille and Chloe Rossignol, both juniors at Presque Isle High School, were recognized at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City with outstanding solo awards. 
Goupille plays the trumpet while Rossignol sings in the chorus. In addition to their individual success, the PIHS concert band, jazz band, chorus and jazz choir all received gold ratings at the festival. SAD 1 has attended a festival every Leap Year since 1988.
“All of the different music groups attending the festival perform for a panel of judges which are typically college-level teachers and sometimes there are composers mixed in, as well,” explained Jay Nelson, who teaches grade 5-12 vocal music in SAD 1. “They judge and rate each group based on what they call a national standard, which is based on the size of the school. The judges go around the country adjudicating festivals in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, etc., so they get to hear groups literally from all over the country.
“This year, for the first time, all four of our groups received gold ratings, which is the highest standard you can get,” said Nelson. “They also have what’s called a Festival of Gold or Carnegie Hall Series. The high school chorus, for the first time in the 25 years that I’ve been teaching, was actually invited to the Carnegie Hall Series of concerts next year. We’ve never gotten that far, which I thought was fantastic.”
Dan Schneider, SAD 1 music director, said that in addition to the rating, the groups also vied for placement.
“Placement-wise, the concert band got second place with a gold rating and the jazz band got first place with a gold rating,” he said. “I’m proud of the kids for pulling it all together. It’s really something to go there and compete against other schools. We competed against two other schools of similar size for placement. I’m very pleased overall.”
Equally impressive is that two PIHS students were recognized with outstanding solo awards. Kyle Goupille, who plays the trumpet, and vocalist Chloe Rossignol were each honored during the festival.
“I received a trophy which I put on the mantle in our living room at home,” said Goupille, a junior. “It was quite surprising and humbling to be one of 12 or 13 to be singled out like that. It was pretty cool.”
Goupille has been playing the trumpet since fifth grade. He said while the trip made for a long weekend, he enjoyed the experience immensely.
“I had a great time. I liked both the competition aspect and the cultural aspect,” he said. “I had never been to New York City before. I saw ‘Spider-Man’ on Broadway, which was cool. It had a lot of special effects and was really interesting. Times Square was pretty crazy … lots to see and a lot of people in a small area. I’m glad I got the chance to go.
“The kids who have gone to the festival before always say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip and you’d have to go to understand, and I think that’s true,” said Goupille. “It’s hard to describe. It’s all you expect it to be and more. It was really fun and you learn a lot about the culture. It’s worth going for sure.”
Rossignol said she sang a solo part in the song “Shadowland” from “The Lion King.”
“I was very excited about receiving the award,” said Rossignol, a junior. “I’ve never gotten anything like this before, so it was very exciting for me.”
This was also Rossignol’s first trip to New York City.
“It was amazing,” she said. “It was so huge, and was just cool to see all these buildings towering over you and all the people. I liked it a lot.
“I saw ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway. I had already seen ‘Wicked’ in Boston, and I had heard about all the special effects from ‘The Lion King’ and I loved the music in it, so I decided that’s the one I wanted to see,” said Rossignol, who started singing in chorus in the sixth grade. “The other memorable part of the trip was just being at the festival. It was nice hearing all the different groups and getting to sing in a church, which had great acoustics. I heard chords that I’ve never heard our chorus sing before in that church. I liked everything from seeing the people to the buildings to the billboards. It was a great experience.”
The festival was held April 27-30.
“SAD 1 has attended a festival every Leap Year since 1988,” said Schneider. “It’s a great experience for the kids. For some of them, it was the first time they’ve been out of the state.”
While one day was spent competing, the second day was for sightseeing.
“We took the kids to a Broadway show. They had the choice to see either ‘Wicked,’ ‘The Lion King’ or ‘Spider-Man,’” said Nelson, noting that “Wicked” seemed to be the “big draw” for the majority of students.
“We also went to the top of Rockefeller Center so the kids could see a panoramic view of New York, we went to Times Square at night so the kids could do a little shopping and see all the lights at night, went to Central Park for an hour or so because the kids were interested in seeing Strawberry Fields of John Lennon fame, a dinner cruise on the Hudson River and more,” he said. “It was a wonderful trip and the kids got a lot out of it. The kids were well behaved and everyone had a good time.”
Schneider said while the trip is a lot of fun, it also helps bring out the best in the students.
“The festival really raises the level of performance,” he said. “Performing on a bigger stage gives them a boost, and when they realize they’re going to be playing before internationally-renowned judges, it helps them step up their game.
“Carl Strommen, who is a famous composer, educator, adjudicator and musician, came up after the jazz band performed and he said he wouldn’t have changed a thing,” said Schneider. “Coming from him, I was completely blown away.”
Nelson said he wishes to thank all those in the community who have supported the music students and the Music Boosters.
“This trip is a very expensive venture … around $90,000,” he said. “We raise the money through different fundraisers and events over the course of four years, and the Music Boosters did the yeoman’s work of putting together the finances and a lot of the leg work. I’d like to thank everyone in the SAD 1 area who contributed and supported us.”
“I, too, would like to thank SAD 1, the community, parents and Music Boosters for their support of music in our schools,” said Schneider.
Previous festival trips have been to Boston, Montreal and Washington, D.C.
