Canton High School to Participate in West Springfield Music Festival

The Canton High School band and chorus will be heading out to West Springfield to compete in the 2013 Great East Music Festival.

The festival, which will be held on May 31, will see a large number of bands and choruses competing for the Gold designations from top judges in the region.

“It’s not a competition with an all out winner,” said Canton school music director Sarah Collmer. “The judges give rating against the standards set down.”

Collmer said the festival will be more like a learning experience for the students rather than pitting the schools against each other.

“While the kids are performing, the judges will be speaking into recording devices,” Collmer said. “It’s so we can hear their feedback and what’s going on in the performance. Then there’s a workshop that will give them some ideas of other things they can do musically and give suggestions; hopefully a lot of praise as well.”

Collmer said the feedback will help to improve the students’ technique.

“The kids are very excited,” she said.

Collmer said Brian Thomas stepping into the high school’s music department has been a big plus.

“He’s been really great at reenergizing the program,” she said. “We’ve reenvisioning things with really high expectations. The students have been growing and performing at a very high level, and we’re all proud of their work.”

Collmer said this is the first time in about 10 years the high school will have participated in such an event. She added the students are stepping up with the higher standards with enthusiasm.

“The kids are always willing to work, and they wants success as well,” she said.