RUTLAND—Max Lozier, a senior bassist at Rutland High School, has earned spots in district, state, and regional music festivals during his music career. That talent and dedication found him joining music students from across the United States in a showcase of the “best of the best” during the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) 2017 All-National Honor Ensembles, held Nov. 26-29, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Only 608 students from 49 states and territories were selected for the elite spots. Auditions, open solely to students who had been selected to their respective All-State Music Festival, were based on recordings, as well as an application. Lozier, who learned of his selection to the National Symphony Orchestra last summer, was one of only three Vermont students to be chosen.
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity for a serious music student,” said Sarah Koon, Rutland High School orchestra director. “I’m glad he had a chance to work with other students of such a high caliber.”
Lozier was previously named to the Green Mountain Music District V Orchestra (all four years of high school), the Vermont All State Orchestra, and twice to the New England Music Festival Association Orchestra. At Rutland High School, he is a member of the Orchestra, the Advanced Orchestra, the Symphonic Band, and the Jazz Ensemble.
“Participating in the National Orchestra encourages me to be more of a leader,” Lozier said of the experience. “It encourages me to work harder. Participating in this group helps to solidify my desire to major in music in college.”
According to the NAfME website, the All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir, and jazz ensemble. The concert band and symphony orchestra each had 155 and 152 instrumentalists respectively, the jazz ensemble 20 instrumentalists, and the mixed choir 281 vocalists.
Orchestra students rehearsed a challenging repertoire over three days that included works by Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, and a new piece of music composed by a student entry for a national composition competition.
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Rutland High School’s Max Lozier, a bassist, is headed to Florida to play with a national ensemble.
