Charlie Mercier and Tom Yan from Chelsea High School have been selected as members of the 2013 NAfME All-National Honor Band and Symphony Orchestra sponsored by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Mercier, a trombonist, was selected for the All-National Concert Band and Yan, a tuba player, was selected for the All-National Symphony Orchestra.  They will join more than 670 of the most musically talented and skilled high school students in the United States to perform at a gala concert on October 30, 2013 in the Presidential Ballroom of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

These students will prepare remarkably challenging music that they will perform under the baton of four of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Dr. Peter Boonshaft, Miriam Burns, Rollo Dilworth, and Rodney Whitaker.

“What an opportunity for both of these instrumental music students,” said Chelsea Band Director Dane Lawley.  “It is indeed a great honor to be selected as an All-National Honors Ensemble participant.”

The NAfME All-National Honors Ensembles, consisting of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, and jazz ensemble, are organized by members of the National Association for Music Education. The concert band and symphony orchestra will each have approximately 150 instrumentalists, the jazz ensemble will have 20 instrumentalists, and the mixed chorus will have approximately 350 vocalists. Eligible students have qualified for their state-level honor ensemble program (All-State Band) and competed against top students for a spot in these national honor ensembles.

 For program and ticket information for the gala concert, please visit http://musiced.nafme.org/all-national-honor-ensembles/.