2 Chatham High Musicians Perform in Europe

Two juniors from spent the summer honing their musical performance skills abroad.

Connor Dean was nominated by Dr. Barbara Klemp and selected to take part in the "American Music Abroad" tour. Along with over 60 other high school musicians from New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, Dean spent three days in intense rehearsals and preparation at The College of New Jersey in early July.

The students gave a farewell concert for family and friends before they embarked on a tour of Frace, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and the former Yugoslav Republic of Slovenia. The tour gave nine concerts in these six countries in three weeks.

Dean is a member of the Select Choir at Chatham High.

To Tolentino

Junior Patrick Sullivan gave three separate concerts at the Tolentino Music and Art Festival in Tolentino, Italy from July 26 to Aug. 6:

• On July 26, Sullivan played Hungarian Dances 1, 4, 5 and 6. He also played Andeante e Rondo Ungarese by Carl Maria von Weber, accompanied a bassoonist, and Liszt's Rigoletto Paraphrase.
• On August 5, he performed the Revolutionary Etude by Chopin. He also played Petite Suite Latine by J. Naulais, accompanied a saxophonist.
• On August 6, Sullivan gave an encore performance of Liszt's Rigoletto Paraphrase.

These concerts were primarily given in the cloister courtyard of the 12th-century Basilica San Nicola.

At the end of the tour, Sullivan received a special merit award diploma and an invitation to perform a solo concert in the summer of 2012.

Sullivan is an accompanist with the Chatham High Concert Choir.

The Roles Are Cast

After a "rigorous audition process" in the spring, according to a statement from Chatham High, the following nine Chatham High students were accepted to the 2011-12 All-State Chorus:

• Joanie Abbott
• MinJee Kim
• Antonia Kitsopoulos
• Mike Nitting
• Solana San Pietro
• Lily Smith
• Scott Souza
• Sean Switzer
• Sarah Thomson

The students have been in rehearsal since June for two upcoming concerts, one in Atlantic City on Nov. 11 and one at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Nov. 20. The Women's Chorus will also give a concert at NJPAC on Feb. 25, 2012.

The fall play at Chatham High will be "Metamorphoses." Roles were cast the week of Sept. 12 and rehearsals are now underway. Performances will be Nov. 16 through 18 at the Chatham High Auditorium.

Fundraising for the Arts

The Chatham Music and Theater Boosters (CMTB) have several items for sale to help raise money for music and theater this year. Among the items for sale are Cougar pins, gloves, flip-flops, and a
Music/Theater car magnet designed by CHS junior Maggie Elliott.

The Chatham High Marching Band is selling crates of grapefruits and oranges through Nov. 1 to supplement the budget.

The Chatham High Music Department holds its annual magazine fundraiser through Oct. 21. Students who choose to participate can sell magazines to help offset their music-related expenses. Separate student accounts are maintained by the Music Department for each student participant.