Long Beach Student Chosen for All-Eastern Music Festival

After a rigorous application process, Long Beach High School senior Russell Goetz has been selected to perform at the 2013 National Association for Music Education Eastern Division Conference on April 7.

Russell will be one of a select group of 350 students from 11 Northeastern states to sing in the All-Eastern Mixed Chorus at the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts in Hartford, Conn. This is one of the highest honors bestowed on high school music students. 

To be considered for the All-Eastern Honors Ensembles, a student must have performed in his or her state’s 2011-12 All-State music festival, must be a member of his or her school’s corresponding ensemble group, and must to have received an endorsement from the school’s principal or superintendent and ensemble director. Student applications are then reviewed by a council of state music association presidents before being passed on to selection committee members, who make the final determinations.

Among his many musical accomplishments, Russell is a two-time All-State musician and eight-time All-County musician. He was most recently chosen to perform with the All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble at the 2012 New York State School Music Association All-State Winter Conference in Rochester, N.Y., held from Nov. 29 through Dec. 2. He also was a featured soloist at a performance of the 2011 All-State Jazz Ensemble for state legislators in Albany last year.

Russell is a member of the National Honor Society and vice president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He performs in the select choir, chorus, men’s chorus, band, jazz band and wind ensemble, and is the drum major for the marching band. Also active in the theater department, Russell has played leading roles in high school drama and musical productions, and will serve as student director of both productions this year.

In 2009 Russell toured Europe, singing with the American Music Abroad program. In 2010 he attended the Crane School of Music summer program for voice and choral studies. A scholar-athlete in badminton and tennis, Russell is the varsity badminton team captain and was named a 2010 and 2011 All-County Champion.

“This is truly a great honor for Russell and for the Long Beach School District,” said Dr. Dale Johanson, the district’s director of comprehensive arts. “Although we have had dozens of All-State musicians named over the years, it has been approximately 25 years since the last Long Beach student has qualified for the All-Eastern Conference.”