Singer qualifies for states and beyond

BY PAT FARNELLI

A Montrose Area High School student performed recently in the All Eastern States’ choral music festival, which is the highest level of competition available for high school students in Pennsylvania, according to his choral music director.

Jacob Myers qualified for the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association’s State Chorus Festival for the second year in a row, and surpassed that achievement by being selected for the All Eastern State’s choral music festival, held two weeks ago in Baltimore, Md.

In order to be selected for All Eastern, Myers had to audition for, and be selected to be part of the PMEA State Chorus Festival, and then be selected by the Music Educators National Conference for the All Eastern States festival, based on last year’s state results, said Montrose chorus director Scott Zimmerman, noting the All-Eastern festival is only held every other year.

Zimmerman said that there is no national choral competition in the same genre as those held by the state and all-Eastern festivals.

“Anything on a national level is a different sort of event, usually requiring the student to pay a very high fee to participate, unlike those held by music educator associations, ” he said.

Myers, who sings the Bass II part, will be going to states April 13-16.

Earlier in the school year, he played the male lead  of the Prince in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “Cinderella.”

“Jake is easily one of the most talented students I’ve ever had, and is far and away the most hard working,” Zimmerman said.

He practices with Zimmerman after school most week days, and sings his part, along with a recording, for an hour most evenings when he practices at home for the next choral program.

Myers was selected as a WVIA TV “Artist of the Week” for his vocal talent.

He is member of the Baden Powell Council of Boy Scouts Troop 92, and received his Eagle Scout award two weeks ago along with five other scouts.

He also runs for the Montrose Cross Country team.

Later this month, he will be playing Orsino in the high school production of “Twelfth Night,” by William Shakespeare. This is the first school year in the past 10 that Montrose High School has had a major musical or theatrical production, said Drama Club Director Heather Winn.