HOULTON, Maine — Young vocalists from around the state converged on Houlton High School Saturday, for the Maine State Vocal Jazz Festival. Thirty-nine middle school and high school vocal groups competed at Houlton High School in the event, which features jazz and show choirs.
“The SAD29 Music Department and Music Boosters hosted this festival again this year as part of a two-year commitment,” said Joe Fagnant, SAD 29 Music Department chairman. “HHS has been the site of many state festivals the past 15 years. Groups that are attending the festival had to go through a qualifying event — a district jazz festival — in order to be accepted to perform this weekend.”
Houlton High School took third place in the Division I High School Show Choir competition for its performance of “Hairspray,” while Caribou placed third in the Division II High School Jazz Choir competition.
In the show choir competition, Presque Isle performed “A Little Spamalot,” a humorous skit based on Monty Python sketches. Caribou performed a darker number, featuring music from “Sweeney Todd.”
Full results from the event were:
Division I Middle School Show Choir — 1, Somerset Valley; 2, Sebasticook; 3, Mt. Blue. Caribou’s Connor Plourde and Victoria Keaton were named outstanding male and female soloists. Somerset Valley won the choreography award.
Division II Middle School Show Choir — 1, Millinocket; 2, Pemetic; 3, Wagner. Pemetic’s Peter Jacobson was named outstanding male soloist, while Millinocket’s Liza Brown won the female soloist award. Pemetic won the choreography award and Conners-Emerson won the Rhythm Section award.
Division I High School Show Choir — 1, Ellsworth; 2, Nokomis; 3, Hampden Academy. Waterville’s Dustin Shepard was named outstanding male soloist, while Nokomis’ Ashlee Lawrence won the female soloist award. Ellsworth captured the choreography award and Hampden Academy won the rhythm section award.
Division II High School Show Choir — 1, Stearns/Schenck; 2, Mount Desert Island; 3, Houlton. Tyler Delano of Houlton was named outstanding male soloist, while Gwen Morneault of Stearns/Schenck won the female soloist award. Stearns/Scheck won the choreography award, while MDI captured the rhythm section award.
Division I Vocal Jazz — 1, Fryeburg; 2, Nokomis; 3, Ellsworth. Falmouth’s Ryan Gao won the outstanding male soloist award, while Fryeburg’s Devin LaCasce won the female soloist award. Fryeburg also won the rhythm section award.
Division II Vocal Jazz — 1, Maine Central Institute; 2, Cheverus; 3, Caribou. Danielle Lane of Caribou was named outstanding female soloist, while MCI’s Cameron Neal won the male soloist award. MCI also won the rhythm section award. Easton also participated in this division.
The state of Maine is divided into seven districts, with district one being the schools in the southern most regions of Maine to district seven being the schools in Aroostook County, he said. Most schools that participate in vocal jazz represent the mid-Maine to northern Maine region.
Performances took place in the high school auditorium and gymnasium simultaneously. Three individual judges, with a background in the field of vocal jazz, choral singing, choreography, or theater production adjudicated all schools. Some of the judges were professional musicians from the Boston area or educators from different areas of Maine. Among the judges was former Houlton choral director Andrew Poulopoulous,
Schools are graded on a set scale and first, second and third places are given out to middle school show choirs, while the top two high school jazz choirs and show choirs in each division vie for the night finals. Night finals are held to determine the overall state champion in that division.
Other awards given included: outstanding male and female vocalist; outstanding rhythm section; and outstanding choreography. Schools may also be awarded a gold rating if they score an 88 or higher, which is exceeding the musical standard.
“This is a great event to host in our community,” Fagnant said. “Not only does it highlight the best in music education, it also brings people into our community. Hotels and restaurants will be busy and we will have an influx of visitors to this area. It is great for our school, community and the region. It is a nice boost to our economy and also a great way to showcase the support we have for the arts in our area.”
Houlton High School took third place in the Division I High School Show Choir competition for its performance of “Hairspray,” while Caribou placed third in the Division II High School Jazz Choir competition.
In the show choir competition, Presque Isle performed “A Little Spamalot,” a humorous skit based on Monty Python sketches. Caribou performed a darker number, featuring music from “Sweeney Todd.”
Full results from the event were:
Division I Middle School Show Choir — 1, Somerset Valley; 2, Sebasticook; 3, Mt. Blue. Caribou’s Connor Plourde and Victoria Keaton were named outstanding male and female soloists. Somerset Valley won the choreography award.
Division II Middle School Show Choir — 1, Millinocket; 2, Pemetic; 3, Wagner. Pemetic’s Peter Jacobson was named outstanding male soloist, while Millinocket’s Liza Brown won the female soloist award. Pemetic won the choreography award and Conners-Emerson won the Rhythm Section award.
Division I High School Show Choir — 1, Ellsworth; 2, Nokomis; 3, Hampden Academy. Waterville’s Dustin Shepard was named outstanding male soloist, while Nokomis’ Ashlee Lawrence won the female soloist award. Ellsworth captured the choreography award and Hampden Academy won the rhythm section award.
Division II High School Show Choir — 1, Stearns/Schenck; 2, Mount Desert Island; 3, Houlton. Tyler Delano of Houlton was named outstanding male soloist, while Gwen Morneault of Stearns/Schenck won the female soloist award. Stearns/Scheck won the choreography award, while MDI captured the rhythm section award.
Division I Vocal Jazz — 1, Fryeburg; 2, Nokomis; 3, Ellsworth. Falmouth’s Ryan Gao won the outstanding male soloist award, while Fryeburg’s Devin LaCasce won the female soloist award. Fryeburg also won the rhythm section award.
Division II Vocal Jazz — 1, Maine Central Institute; 2, Cheverus; 3, Caribou. Danielle Lane of Caribou was named outstanding female soloist, while MCI’s Cameron Neal won the male soloist award. MCI also won the rhythm section award. Easton also participated in this division.
The state of Maine is divided into seven districts, with district one being the schools in the southern most regions of Maine to district seven being the schools in Aroostook County, he said. Most schools that participate in vocal jazz represent the mid-Maine to northern Maine region.
Performances took place in the high school auditorium and gymnasium simultaneously. Three individual judges, with a background in the field of vocal jazz, choral singing, choreography, or theater production adjudicated all schools. Some of the judges were professional musicians from the Boston area or educators from different areas of Maine. Among the judges was former Houlton choral director Andrew Poulopoulous,
Schools are graded on a set scale and first, second and third places are given out to middle school show choirs, while the top two high school jazz choirs and show choirs in each division vie for the night finals. Night finals are held to determine the overall state champion in that division.
Other awards given included: outstanding male and female vocalist; outstanding rhythm section; and outstanding choreography. Schools may also be awarded a gold rating if they score an 88 or higher, which is exceeding the musical standard.
“This is a great event to host in our community,” Fagnant said. “Not only does it highlight the best in music education, it also brings people into our community. Hotels and restaurants will be busy and we will have an influx of visitors to this area. It is great for our school, community and the region. It is a nice boost to our economy and also a great way to showcase the support we have for the arts in our area.”
