Singers to Attend Sweet Harmony Festival

Nineteen girls from North Hills will participate in the 5th annual Sweet Harmony festival on Friday, November 15, 2013 at Upper St. Clair High School.  The event, sponsored by the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania, is held each year to bring together around 125 female singers in grades 6 through 9 from the Southwest Pennsylvania region for a day of music learning.

This year’s guest conductor is Patricia Donohue Burns, a member of the vocal music faculty at Duquesne University.  Ms. Burns is an instructor of voice, and also directs the University Singers choral ensemble.  She will be joined by women from the choral program at Washington & Jefferson College.  The ladies will join with the participants throughout the day, singing with them and for them, and serving as vocal models for the developing singers.  Directors will join together with W&J director of choral activities Dr. Susan Medley for a “directors’ chorus,” learning several pieces while the girls are rehearsing, and which then performing for the students later in the day.  The festival culminates in an informal closing performance of the festival music at 3:00 in the Upper St. Clair High School auditorium for directors and any family members that wish to attend.

North Hills participants for the 2013 Sweet Harmony include: Seventh graders Juliet California, Kate Ross, and Darby Vojtko; Eighth graders Hannah Addink, Ryleigh Bruner, Rebecca Diak, Rebecca Ettore, Jordyn Hronec, Olivia Lyle, Brook Marino, and Emma Richardson; Freshmen Na-Auja Davis, Heather Dominy, Bridget Forsythe, Anna Marchese, Molly Marciniak, Sophie Roll, Halie Smith, and Emily Turner.