MEDFORD STRING ENSEMBLE WINS GOLD MEDAL
AT MICCA CONCERT FESTIVAL
On Saturday April 5, the Medford String Ensemble, under the direction of Sophia Chang, won a Gold Medal at MICCA (Massachusetts Instrumental and Chorus Conductor’s Association) Band and Orchestra Concert Festival.
The MICCA Concert Festival is designed to promote excellence in musical performance. The festival was held in six sites across Massachusetts on April 4, 5 & 6. Throughout the weekend, approximately 160 instrumental ensembles participated. By participating in the festival, students and teachers strive to meet the MICCA Gold Medal Standard.
MICCA, with the support of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Mechanics Hall, will sponsor its 16th annual “Stars at Symphony” Gold Medal Showcase. Ensembles that earn a gold medal rating at the 2014 MICCA Concert and Choral Festivals will be invited to perform at either Symphony Hall on Saturday April 12th, 2014 or Mechanics Hall on Sunday, April 13th, 2014.
The Medford String Ensemble will join the Gold Medal recipients to perform at Mechanics Hall on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Admission is free to the public. The Ensemble’s selections include “Allegro from Concerto Grosso Op.6, No. 1” by Handel, “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss” by David Holsinger, and “Symphony No.1, 2nd movement” by Gustav Mahler.
This is the 4th year that the Medford ensemble has brought back medals of excellence. The group was founded in 2009 and since that time they have earned 3 Gold and 1 Silver medal. The students practice not only during school but for many hours before or after school in order to achieve this success. Adjudicators for the MICCA Festival, all drawn from distinguished college posts, were unanimous in their praise of the musicianship, technical skill, and maturity of the Medford musicians.