For the first time in school history, three Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts music ensembles qualified to participate in state assessments on Monday, April 15, and Tuesday, April 16.
The ASMSA SSA (Treble) Choir participated in the Arkansas Choral Directors Association Class 3A state assessments at ArkCDA State Festival at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on April 15. The group qualified for state assessments by earning a 2R/Excellent rating for its main stage performance and a 1/Superior rating in sight reading at the Region 2 assessments held in March at Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood. Jordan Murdock, an adjunct music instructor, serves as the choir’s director.
The ASMSA String Ensemble and the ASMSA Wind Ensemble will both perform at the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association Class 3A State Assessment on April 16 at Bryant High School.
The String Ensemble qualified for the state event by earning a Superior/First Division rating for its main-stage performance as well as for sight reading at the Region 2 concert assessment held in March at Lake Hamilton High School. It was the first time the String Ensemble had performed at the region concert assessment. Dr. Nathan Groot, an ASMSA music instructor, serves as the String Ensemble director.
The Wind Ensemble earned the opportunity to perform at the state concert assessment by earning an Excellent/Second Division rating for its main-stage performance and Superior/First Division in sight-reading at the Region 2 concert assessment held in March at Lake Hamilton High School. It was the third time in a row that the Wind Ensemble qualified for state assessment.
“I am pleased with the continuing growth and hallmarks of success for the music program at ASMSA,” said Dr. Thomas Dempster, who serves as the Wind Ensemble’s director and associate dean for arts and humanities for ASMSA. “With three separate ensembles performing well at region assessment and qualifying for state assessment, we are now on par with larger 5A, 6A and 7A programs in the state. The level of difficulty of the musical selections in especially Wind Ensemble and String Ensemble speaks to the level of preparedness, intention and determination of our wonderful students.”