How Can I Keep From Singing: Local Students participate in New England Music Festival For the First Time Since 2019

(Left to Right,) Senior Grace Kline, Junior Gabe Thompson, and Sophomore Connor Trombly sang at NEMFA on 3/18

Grace Kline, Gabe Thompson, and Connor Trombly, of Rice Memorial High School, traveled down to Lewis S Mills High School in Burlington CT to participate in the New England Music Festival (NEMFA) for the first time since before the Pandemic. 

The return to in-person vocal and instrumental performance has been long awaited for many students and teachers after having to adhere to cancellations and virtual/socially distant performances. 

Thompson, a junior who got into NEMFA in 2020 prior to its cancellation, expressed his excitement at the prospect of being able to sing in person again.

“The experience is just awesome. I'm finally able to go and perform things again.”

The students went through an in-person audition before being selected for the festival. Kline and Trombly viewed the auditioning experience as a way to see themselves grow as performers.

“It's (the audition process) really allowed me to have more confidence in my abilities to sing because being in front of a live adjudicator is definitely not something you get to do on a normal basis,” said Kline

“I always like like progressing and being better. I did that a lot this year because I almost doubled my score,” said Trombly.

For Kline, the ability to go back to in-person performance has been monumental in bringing students together. 

Rice Memorial High School Chorus and Vocal Performance Teacher, Kevin Ginter.

“ It (in-person performance) allows a lot of the more introverted communities to be able to go back and do what they've appreciated doing, especially after being isolated for so long and having to do it alone.”

Their chorus and vocal performance teacher, Kevin Ginter spoke about the hard work his students have put into participating. 

“It's, it's been challenging for sure, but they're, they're getting it done.”

Ginter added on the significance of the upstart of the festival as an educator in the ability to offer these experiences to students again. 

“Just getting the kids back singing again, is just our whole mission, you know, just getting kids more involved and advancing because some kids do decide to pursue this as a career as well as just for their enjoyment and development.”