Three hundred Wilton High School music students were among the 1,300 students from four states and eight schools who participated in the 2015 Music Adjudication competition in Philadelphia on Friday, April 24.
Joined by school music directors Chip Gawle, John Rhodes, Betsey DeGroff and Marty Meade, the participating Wilton High School music groups included four choruses, concert and symphonic orchestras, Jazz I and Jazz II, concert band and wind ensemble.
The results of the competition were announced Friday, April 25. All four Wilton choral groups, Jazz I and the wind ensemble received superior ratings, while the concert and symphonic orchestras, Jazz II and concert band received excellent ratings.
Each Wilton group earned the following awards in their divisions:
- Choir: First place and overall festival winner.
- Chamber Singers: First place and overall festival winner.
- Madrigals: First place.
- Men’s/Bottom Line: First place.
- Concert and Symphonic Orchestras: First place.
- Jazz I: Second place.
- Jazz II: First place.
- Concert Band: First place.
- Wind Ensemble: First place and overall festival winner.
Elliot Connors, a junior in Jazz I, won best jazz soloist at the adjudication. Elliot is also in the Connecticut All State Jazz Ensemble and a member of the Wilton teen jazz band Black Tie Affair.
“He is, by far, the finest high school jazz trumpet soloist I have ever heard in my 34-year career,” said Gawle. “In addition, he is a superlative student and he is a tremendous human being.”
Gawle said he and the other music directors are “so proud” of the Wilton students.
“They have represented their families, their school and their town fabulously by their terrific behavior and by their focus during performance,” he said. “It is a fine moment for our music department and for our school.”