BY STACI WILSON

The area’s top high school instrumentalist took the stage Friday night at Pittston Area High School for the annual PMEA District 9 concert.

The concert was the culmination of work put in by the nearly 150 students from 30 area high schools during the three-day festival.

The band was under the direction of Dr. Andrew Yozwiak, Director of Bands at West Chester University.

It was a bit of a homecoming for Yozwiak, a Nanticoke High School alumnus who, as a high school student, performed as a member of the district band at Pittston in the mid-1980s.

Yazwiak’s high school band director attended one of the group’s rehearsal; and the conductor reconnected with some of his former West Chester University and high school students who are now teaching in area districts.

“It’s a testament to the relationships formed in music,” he said. “There are still great musical opportunities in northeastern Pennsylvania.”
He also said the shared festival experience was important to maintaining the rich tradition of music in northeast Pa.

After the opening “Star-Spangled Banner” and “Salute to PMEA,” the concert began with “Procession of the Nobles” by Rimsky-Korsakov, which featured a cornet solo by Montrose’s Tony Bennici.

Ronald LoPresti’s “Eulogy for a Young American” followed. Yoawiak explained the piece was written following the assignation of John F. Kennedy Jr. and took the listener through the stages of grief felt by the nation.

The program moved to the Renaissance dance-styled “Three Ayres from Gloucester” by Hugh M. Stuart, which featured a French horn solo by Felicia Quinn; and then to Percy Grainger’s ”Mock Morris.”

The final song in the concert was “Kahn” by Julie Giroux, a work that depicts Genghis Khan and his army with driving tempos, energetic rhythms and compelling dynamics.

As students arrived at the festival on Wednesday afternoon, they auditioned for seating and the chance to move on to Regional Band, which will be held in March at Marywood University in Scranton and hosted by Montrose Area.

District 9 band members from Susquehanna and Wyoming counties included:

Blue Ridge: Nick Swaha, cornet; Skylar Secord, French horn.
Elk Lake: Kenneth Filer, baritone saxophone.
Forest City: Don Nguyen, cornet.
Lackawanna Trail: Cassandra Brown, flute; Alaina Jones, bass clarinet.
Montrose: Grace Wood, flute; Elizabeth Bennici, bassoon; Danielle Dubofsky, clarinet; Genna Smith, clarinet, Krista Quinn, clarinet, Megan McVaugh, clarinet; Alannah Sullivan, contra clarinet; Phillip Davidon, alto sax; Matthew Zaleski, alto sax; Allison Bickford, tenor sax; Ian Norton, baritone sax; Tony Bennici, cornet; Felicia Quinn, French horn; Kyra Ricci, French horn; Caleb Reyes, trombone; Tucson Cutsogeorge, trombone; Sean Quinn, baritone; Christopher Ricci, baritone.
Mountain View: Sophia Ficcaro, cornet.
Susquehanna Community: Kayla Marino, alto sax.
Tunkhannock Area: Alyssa Nichols, clarinet, Elaine Lance, clarinet; Rachel Phinney, tenor sax; Joshua Flaherty, trumpet; Sean Andres, percussion, Patrick Cronin, percussion; Justin Phillips, percussion, Catherine Trexler, percussion.
Wyoming Sem: LaAnna Farnelli, French horn.