Recognizing Performing Artists

Five students represented Miss Hall’s in January at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association’s (MMEA) Western District 67th Annual Senior Festival Concert.

Altos Yoyo Chen ’26, Eleanor Jacobsen ’27, and Trinity Ren ’26 sang with the District chorus, and violist Marianna Bartz ’27 and clarinetist Yun Jung ’27 performed with the District Concert Band. The 2026 concert took place on Saturday, January 17, at Minnechaug Regional High School, in Wilbraham.

The MMEA, which is the state division of the National Association for Music Education, sponsors annual District and State Music Festivals that are open to all secondary school musicians in both public and private schools. MHS students have participated in the Festival Concert for more than thirty-five years, and each of this year’s Miss Hall’s performers excels in the Expressive Arts.

All five regularly perform at school events and concerts, with Eleanor and Yoyo serving as co-Heads of Grace Notes, the School’s a cappella singing group, and Trinity performing with the group. Additionally, Marianna and Yun perform with the MHS Chamber Ensemble, Yoyo performs with the student rock band Linger, and Eleanor performs with the MHS Theater Ensemble. Trinity, who has performed with the MHS Chamber Ensemble and sang with the Vocal Ensemble, is also an exceptional pianist.

To be selected for the Festival, performers audition at Westfield State University in early November. Instrumentalists prepare a required solo piece, and singers prepare a vocal part of a required choral piece. All musicians also play scales and sight-read a short piece they have never seen, to determine their music reading skills. Selected students rehearse together twice, performing a concert after the second day of rehearsal.

Eleanor, Marianna, and Yoyo all represented MHS at the 2025 Festival Concert, and Eleanor performed in the 2024 concert as well. Eleanor, Trinity, Yoyo, and Yun will also go on to perform in the All-State Concert on Saturday, March 21, at the Hanover Theatre, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Students must also audition to qualify for the All-State Concert, and only the top percentage of performers are selected from each district. Eleanor will sing Alto in the Chorus, Trinity and Yoyo will sing alto in the Treble Chorus, a new group, and Yun will play clarinet in the Concert Band.

Congratulations to the Miss Hall’s performers and to the MHS Music Department!