Home
Xaverian Vocalists Earn Audition Spots for the MMEA All-State Chorus
Congratulations to the Xaverian students who qualified for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) District Chorus, and good luck to Jack and Joe, as they prepare for All-State auditions.
This month, 10 members of the Xaverian chorus traveled to Milton High School to audition for the MMEA Eastern Senior District Chorus. Out of those 10, three were accepted into the chorus, and two of those three qualified to audition for the MMEA All-State Chorus.
MMEA hosts district and all-state choruses and instrumental ensembles in all 50 states. Massachusetts is composed of five districts: Eastern, Central, Southeastern, Northeastern, and Western. High schoolers all across the state, both public and private, are allowed to audition for musical groups in these districts.
Students are graded based on a rubric of 124 points. The audition requires students to bring a prepared piece, sing a scale, and sight read (i.e., sing a randomly-generated piece of music they haven’t seen before with only 30 seconds of preparation). The cutoff score for the Senior District was 102 points. If students received a score of 108 points or higher, they also qualified to audition for the All-State Chorus, composed of students from all over the state.
Over 1,000 high schoolers from the Eastern district, which stretches from Boston to the tip of the Cape, auditioned on Saturday. Out of that group, only around 160 were accepted into the Senior District Chorus. From Xaverian, Jack Leary ’19, Sam Stearns ’20, and Joe Cucinotta ’22 made the cut with scores of 114, 103, and 112 respectively. The three will join the other accepted students at the Boston Latin School on January 4 for a day of rehearsal before their January 5 performance.
For those auditioning for the All-State Chorus, there’s a lot more work to be done. Their music will arrive in the mail later this month so that they can begin preparing. At the end of January, those eligible to audition (approximately 500 students statewide) will travel to Shrewsbury High School to try out. Jack Leary and Joe Cucinotta will be among them. If selected, Jack and Joe will perform in early March at Symphony Hall in Boston, under a collegiate-level director.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity,” said freshman Joe Cucinotta, who auditioned for the first time this year. “It’s great to be able to sing with so many talented people my age.”
Xaverian Brothers High School
Xaverian is a Catholic, college-preparatory school for boys in grades 7-12. As an inclusive community, we embrace diverse experiences and perspectives, welcoming students and families from all faiths and backgrounds. Through exceptional academics, athletics, the arts, faith formation, and service opportunities, we help young men discover their unique gifts and talents so they can share them with a world in need.
