2009 Annual Report.pdf - Town of Milton

Our music department hosted the Eastern District auditions for Senior District
in November of 2008. We were pleased that Gary Good was selected as the
conductor of the orchestra for the Senior SEMSBA Festival, and Dawn Sykes
was selected as the conductor of the chorus for the Junior SEMSBA Festival.
There were many concerts at both Pierce Middle School and Milton High
School by the various vocal and instrumental groups. One highlight of the year
was the Drama Club’s production of Gypsy as the fall musical. This production
was exciting, as it was the first time in many years that elementary students
performed in the musical.
Our talented music director, Dr. Noreen Diamond Burdett, was presented
with the Visionary Leadership Award at the Massachusetts All State Music Conference
in March. This award is given by Administrators in Music Education
(AIME), which is an affiliate group with the Massachusetts Music Educators’
Association. Dr. Burdett was recognized for being “a strong advocate of music
education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a leader and mentor recognized
for her ability to unify her K-12 staff in Milton as well as music educators
and administrators across the Commonwealth.”
Many Music Department students traveled to NYC for a cultural trip and
went to see an opera at the MET and several musicals on Broadway.
In March, Milton High School hosted its first-ever Faculty/Staff Talent
Show. This was an evening to remember, with dozens of our talented teachers
and administrators performing before a sold-out auditorium. Proceeds from this
event went to our high school athletics, clubs and activities.
Visual Arts:
In February of 2009, The Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards organization
recognized seven of our students with prizes in this highly competitive and prestigious
competition. The winners their work exhibited at the Transportation
Building in Boston. The Globe Scholastics is connected to the nationally-recognized
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers and strives to recognize excellence
in the Visual Arts by students in public and private schools throughout the
Commonwealth. Thousands of pieces of student art are judged, and only a small
percentage receives the coveted Gold and Silver Key awards. While there were
more Honorable Mention awards given, even to be acknowledged among such
impressive and numerous entrants is remarkable. We can certainly be proud of
the accomplishments of our students, our teachers, and our program. Other art
news:
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