Moon Teacher Named 'Music Educator of the Year'

District teacher Lori Cole receives the honor.

Lori Cole, a high school choral director for the Moon Area School District, has been named music educator of the year by the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.  Cole received the honor on Feb. 2, during a performance of Carmina Burana performed by the orchestra at the high school.   The award was presented by the high school chamber ensemble, the Upper St. Clair Pantheon Choir and orchestra members themselves during the event.  The honor is awarded to educators based on their contribution to the arts and career achievements, according to a statement from the school district. 

• Photos (1)

Moon High School Reacts to Gene Kelly Nominations

Moon Area High School's musical director reacts to students receiving two Gene Kelly Award nominations.

This is the first year in a long time that Moon Area High School has entered its spring musical for consideration at the Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards and the cast and crew are glad they did, as they received two nominations for their rendition of Guys and Dolls. Moon student Zach Houston was nominated for best supporting actor for his role as Nicely, Nicely and the student orchestra picked up a nomination as well. "In the past, I really worried about the competition factor and about students getting their feelings hurt," musical director Laura Mitchell said about why she previously chose not to be part of the Gene Kelly Awards. Now that Moon Area High School has a beautiful new theater and the ability to put on even more show-stopping …

• Photos (1)

Moon, OLSH Nominated for Gene Kelly Awards

The award winners will be announced at a 7:30 p.m. program on Saturday, May 26, at the Benedum Center.

Moon Area High School's rendition of Guys and Dolls notched a nomination for best student orchestra in this year's 2012 Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards.  Moon student Zach Houston has also been nominated as best supporting actor for his role as Nicely, Nicely in the musical.  Our Lady of the Sacred Heart's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, meanwhile, was nominated for best musical in the budget category I division.  It also picked up nods for best scenic design, best costume design and best lighting.  OLSH student Vinnie Smith was nominated for best supporting actor for his turn as Bud Frump in the production. OLSH's Adrienne Knap is up for best supporting actress for her role as Smitty.  Moon's Guys and Dolls, a theather …

• Photos (1)

Moon Elementary Students Sing with Grammy-Winning Jazz Artist

Kim Nazarian will join elementary students on stage March 6 for two songs.

Kim Nazarian might be best recognized as the Grammy-winning soprano for New York Voices, a jazz quartet with seven full-length records its belt.  Earlier this week Nazarian, who was a founding member of the group, stopped by Moon Area High School to teach 280 students in fourth and fifth grade a lesson in jazz. "She was really going over sound production with the voice and going over style, in terms of what is samba and what is swing, and that's a whole education there," said Lisa Jaworowski, a Moon Area music teacher.  On March 6, Nazarian will perform two songs, jazz standards "One Note Samba" and "Straighten Up and Fly," with elementary choir students at the district's Music in Our Schools program.  Students gathered in the high school …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (7)

David lee

9:23 am on Wednesday, February 29, 2012

and Standing O !   more ›

Grammy Winner to Lead Moon Music Workshop

Kim Nazarian will work with Moon Area elementary students tonight.

Grammy-winning vocalist Kim Nazarian will conduct a music workshop for Moon Area students tonight at Moon Area High School.  Nazarian, who won a Grammy in 1996 as a part of the jazz ensemble New York Voices, will lead a workshop tonight for elementary students, teaching swing style, improvisation and voice technique to the students.  Choirs from all five Moon elementary buildings will take part in the event. Nazarian is a recording artist and vocal instructor at Bowling Green University in Ohio.  Nazarian will perform with student choirs at the district-wide Music in Our Schools concert at 7 p.m. March 6 at the high school auditorium.  Check back with Patch for coverage. 

View Finder

Hyde Students Sing for School Board Members

The Singing Tigers performed as part of January's School Board Recognition Month.

Led by elementary music teacher Jamie Rea, fourth and fifth graders from Hyde Elementary's Singing Tigers group performed for school board members as part of January's School Board Recognition Month.  Click the video above to view a portion of their performance. 

•  1 Comment
• Videos (1)

Moon Band Students Perform in Regional Festivals

Moon students have been selected to perform in a host of regional events.

Moon Area High School band students last week performed in the Western Allegheny County Area Honors Band at Chartiers Valley High School. More than 160 local band students from area high schools participated in the annual event. The school district reports that 28 students took part in the event, which requires a rigorous two-day rehearsal.  In addition, Moon junior Mark Bartus was selected as the first chair pianist in the PMEA honors jazz band earlier this month at Baldwin High School. Four students were selected to take part in Senior High District Band at North Allegheny High School, including senior trumpet Chris Nan, sophomore bassoon Adam Sniezek, sophomore French horn Nicholas Giralico and sophomore trombone Eric Homol. Sniezek and…

• Photos (1)