26 students selected for All-County ensembles at WHS

Jan 30 2026

Congratulations to the 26 Washingtonville High School students who performed in the Orange County Honors Band, Chorus and Orchestra Music Festival on January 23-24.

Hosted by the Orange County Music Educators Association (OCMEA), the annual festival brings together some of the very best student musicians from across Orange County. Students earned their spots through a highly competitive audition process held in October, and with 26 participants, Washingtonville had one of the highest totals of any district in the county!

Sophomore Serena Beazer performed on the tuba with the orchestra and described the experience as both meaningful and motivating.

“This was my fourth All-County Festival,” she said. “My favorite part of the experience was creating great music with the ensembles. Meeting people in different ensembles outside of my school was very special to me, and is why I come back every year.”

Junior Luke Broge performed with the chorus and shared a similar perspective. He noted that singing alongside the county’s top vocalists makes the final concert especially powerful.

“The voices really blend and fill the space in an incredibly special way,” he said. “It’s also great to make friends with like-minded students from other districts.”

As a regular participant in local, audition-based ensembles, Luke added that festivals like All-County offer valuable opportunities for motivated musicians to learn from new instructors.

“I really enjoy festivals like this because I get completely new musical experiences, different from how we sing in chorus at school,” he said. “We get to work with a guest conductor who brings a new perspective on singing and learning music. Our choral director was Mr. Gary Lee, a choral director at SUNY Fredonia, and he really knew how to get the best out of our choir.”

Members of the WHS music faculty praised students for their dedication and discipline in preparing for the festival.

“Their exemplary performances are a testament to countless hours of focused rehearsal, artistic growth and genuine passion for music, bringing tremendous pride and distinction to our school and community,” said Ari Contzius, WHS Band Director.

Orchestra