To highlight the talent and skills of New Jersey public school students, the New Jersey School Boards Association will showcase several performances by New Jersey students during the 2016 Workshop Conference. The students will perform on October 25 and 26 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
In April, NJSBA put out a call for student performances and received many impressive entries from public schools throughout the state. The following groups were selected by NJSBA staff.
Performances will take place throughout Workshop, as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m., at the entrance area of the exhibit hall during the Workshop kickoff ceremony, Con Brio A Cappella Group, Hopewell Valley Central High School.
Con Brio is a mixed-voice, a cappella group open to all students at HVCHS and is completely student-lead, from audition to vocal arrangement to performance. Students audition in the fall of each year for acceptance to this highly competitive group. The group performs a wide variety of sacred, secular, pop, contemporary, and a cappella repertoire. The ensemble performs at various school, community, and private events.
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m., on the Investors Bank Theater Stage, Amanda Gabriel, Jonathan Dayton High School, Springfield.
Amanda Gabriel, a 17 year-old senior at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield, is an aspiring musician and performer. She has a strong background in theater, having begun performing in shows at age 7. Some of her credits include “Kitty” in The Drowsy Chaperone, “Bridget” in Bring it On! The Musical, “Abuela Claudia” in In the Heights, and most recently, “Whatsername” in the first-ever high school production of Green Day’s American Idiot. In addition to musical theater, Amanda is an avid songwriter, performing live at The Bitter End in New York City. While singing is her main passion, she also plays piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, and the cello. She is the lead singer and keyboardist of “Crossing Morris,” a band consisting of her brother (drums) and two close neighbors (guitar & bass). At her high school, she is the director of the school’s a cappella group, and a member of the choir, orchestra, and jazz band.
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 12 p.m., at the County Café, the Hunterdon Central Regional High School Fiddle Club.
The Hunterdon Central Regional High School (HCRHS) Fiddle Club, started by director William Magalio, has been in existence for more than 10 years. The group performs a wide variety of musical styles – from Celtic to Gypsy, Klezmer to bluegrass and Scottish to Canadian folk music. The group is very versatile, allowing flexibility for different numbers of students depending on performance space. The fiddlers perform over 20 times each year in and around the community.
William Magalio has worked at Hunterdon Central Regional High School as an instrumental music director for the past 20 years. During his tenure, he has served as the director of the orchestra program at Central, currently directing three string orchestras, two full orchestras, the pit orchestra for the school’s musical and the fiddle club.
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m., on the Investors Bank Theater Stage, the Linden High School Dance Company.
The Linden High School Dance Company, under the direction of Barbara Brady, has performed throughout the Linden community and New Jersey for the past 17 years entertaining audiences in a variety of dance genres.
Annually, they perform in a holiday and a spring concert at the school and have participated in cultural celebrations for Chinese New Year, Black History Month, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Columbus Day and Halloween. Each year, they teach the NJROTC cadets how to do the waltz and salsa for their annual Navy Ball, and have even done cross-curricular lessons teaching the Charleston dance to history classes, while the classes are studying the Roaring 20’s. Throughout the years, they have traveled to special needs schools, performing and teaching children about dance. The group participates in the Union County Teen Arts Festival and have been chosen to perform in the Union County Teen Arts Showcase at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. The Dance Company has also performed numerous times for close to 1000 educators at the N.J. Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s (NJAHPERD) Annual Convention. In addition to the accomplishments of the dancers, Barbara Brady is the 2016 NJAHPERD Dance Teacher of the Year.
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m., on the Investors Bank Theater Stage, the New Brunswick High School Choir.
The New Brunswick High School (NBHS) Choir is beginning its fifth year under the direction of Jennifer Emery. This ensemble encompasses students of all skill levels in grades nine through 12. In recent years, students have gone on to study music at Rutgers University and Westminster Choir College. The choir has received excellent ratings at the NJ American Choral Directors Association High School Choral Festival and Music in the Parks. In 2015, they began a collaboration with Cantabile Chamber Chorale, an award-winning adult choir in Middlesex County.
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 12 p.m., at the County Café, the Hanover Park High School Chamber Singers
The Hanover Park High School (HPHS) Chamber Singers, students in grades nine through 12, have consistently earned superior ratings at local and regional festivals and competitions. The group sings throughout the year in a variety of curricular, co-curricular, and service-learning performances. Their favorite annual endeavors include the holiday caroling trips to the senior citizens’ and assisted living centers. These students are also accomplished actors, dancers, athletes, scholars, artists, and instrumentalists.
The students are directed by Helen Ferrante de Britez, who is currently in her 25th year at HPHS, where she teaches vocal music, music theory, string ensemble, and American popular music, in addition to directing and producing the spring musical.
About Workshop 2016 The annual Workshop Conference, the largest training and information event for New Jersey school officials, will offer nearly 250 training programs, including more than 100 right on the exhibit floor. Training will feature the latest information on policy, negotiations, school law, curriculum, technology, Integrative STEAM, sustainability and other areas vital to effective school district leadership. The conference is a destination where educational leaders from across New Jersey can find solutions to the challenges they face in their school districts. For updates on Workshop 2016 or to learn more, visit workshop.staging.njsba.org.
Registration The cost of Workshop group registration for boards of education and member charter schools is $1,400. Individual registration is $275. The group registration covers up to 14 team members, and may include school board members, the business administrator, superintendent, facilities manager, curriculum coordinator and technology director. Workshop will include training for all members of the district team.
Housing Information A block of rooms has been secured at a number of hotels in Atlantic City for Workshop 2016 attendees. Please review the attendee housing information listed on the Workshop website. Housing must be handled by the school business administrator. The last day to pay for and to make reservations under the Workshop 2016 block is Friday, Sept. 23.
Download the Workshop Mobile App Want to stay updated on the latest news and information related to Workshop 2016? Download the Workshop 2016 mobile app! Learn more.
For a preview of Workshop 2016, watch the Workshop video. Visit workshop.staging.njsba.org for updated and further information.