On April 1st the Franklin High School Bands and Orchestras went to the MICCA festival and returned with 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal. The event took place throughout the entirety of the afternoon at Bellingham High School. MICCA is a concert festival and competitive event between ensembles all over the state. The four groups that attended from FHS were the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Repertory Orchestra. After each performance, the group participates in a clinic with one of the judges in order to get some insight into their performance and what can be improved upon.

MICCA (The Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association) hosts a statewide competition for high school music groups to showcase their hard work and performances. It is usually a great experience for teachers and students alike. When asked about her favorite part of the competition, Mrs. Rudsit, the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble director here at Franklin replies, “working with a judge following the performance. They often bring new perspectives to what I hear or new ideas to teach the same concepts. I also enjoy listening to other HS ensembles.”

Sophomore tenor saxophone player, Amelia Piercy adds, “I did really enjoy listening to the other performances, especially the other Franklin groups. It’s so nice to be able to recognize and celebrate each other’s hard work”.

As well as learning from clinics and appreciating the performances, the groups brought home awards to commemorate their achievements. Both directors Mrs. Rudsit and Mrs. Plouffe were extremely proud of their students and all the success they found. Mrs. Plouffe “hopes that younger orchestra members in middle school will look up to [the orchestras] successes at FHS and say ‘I want to be a part of that!’” However, even with these awards both directors agree that no matter the medal they hope their students continue to work hard and try to perform to the best of their abilities. “I always emphasize to my students that the purpose of attending is not about getting the gold, but rather to receive feedback on our performance, listen to other schools perform and to have a goal to work towards. The medal simply represents where we are at this time.”

Overall the day was an amazing experience for all the people involved. Both directors had high praise for their students and their hard work. They left us with these messages…