All-State Symphonic Band

Tabor Academy trumpeter AJ Macrina ’18 is slated to perform with the 2017 Massachusetts Music Educators All-State Symphonic Band. The All-State Concert will be held at Symphony Hall in Boston on Saturday, March 11. He was chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive audition process held this year at the district and all-state levels.

The competition starts with over 7,000 students from across the state vying for only 1,600 positions to perform in one of the 20 ensembles (bands, orchestras, jazz bands and choirs) at the district level. Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or vocal part. From this ranking, a select group of musicians advances from their district to compete against musicians from the four other districts in the state. The highest-ranking musicians judged at the All-State Auditions in January form the All-State Honors groups (about 500 musicians). Only the top 7% of musicians who initially audition for districts become All-State musicians. For AJ Macrina, a junior at Tabor, this was his first time to be selected as an All-State musician.

The All-State student musicians participate in three days of rehearsals directed by nationally recognized conductors during the MMEA All-State Festival and Concert. Their performance at Symphony Hall is certainly a highlight of their high school music experience and is one that they will remember for years to come.

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