BC News

BCHS senior plays French horn for thousands with All-Eastern Honors Band

Release Date: March 24, 2009

Bethlehem Central High School student Joseph Tanenbaum recently played for an audience of thousands with the prestigious All-Eastern Honors Band of the National Association for Music Education in Providence, Rhode Island.

Tanenbaum, who plays the French horn, was one of 650 of the most musically talented high school students in the Eastern Region of the United States selected to participate in the All-Eastern Honors Ensembles. 

A senior, Tanenbaum has studied under BCHS music teachers Louise Schwarz and Theodore Biernacki. He will be featured as a soloist with the BCHS Wind Ensemble on its April 27 concert at 7:30 p.m. Tanenbaum will perform Strauss’ Concerti in E Flat, Movement I. 

The National Association for Music Education (MENC) All-Eastern Honors Ensembles experience includes preparing remarkably challenging music for performance under the leadership of prominent conductors. Students spent three days rehearsing with one of our conductors during the Eastern Division Conference in Hartford, Conn., beginning March 11. 

The All-Eastern Honors Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, and jazz ensembles. Tanenbaum was part of the 150-member concert band. 

The conference culminated in a concert featuring all of the ensembles before thousands of audience members on Sunday, March 15 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium for the Performing Arts in Providence. 
Each of the music educators associations in the 12-state Eastern Division oversee the selection process for participants representing their state during the spring and early fall of the year before the event. They compile ranked lists of recommended juniors and seniors for consideration.  

The method used to compile the lists varies from state to state, although all recommended students must have participated (or will be participating in) their home all-state festivals.

 

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