Chatham High School will be sending not one, not two, not three, but four outstanding student musicians to the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Conference All-State Music Festival this December in Rochester, NY.
Sisters Cassandra Michalek and Hazel Michalek were tapped for the All-State Symphony Orchestra on mallet percussion and bassoon, respectively, while vocalists Pax Cooper and Aiden McShane earned spots in the prestigious All-State Mixed Choir.
This accomplishment represents the largest group of students Chatham has sent to All-State in recent history, a testament to the dedication of these students, their families, and our music faculty.
Selection for All-State ensembles is fiercely competitive, requiring student musicians to prepare NYSSMA Level 6 solos (the highest level of difficulty) along with rigorous sight-reading evaluations.
"Getting to play alongside better musicians helps you as a musician and creates a special bond," Hazel shared. “You just have to fully commit, be into it, and really want to do it.”
Seniors Aiden and Pax, both bass singers, secured their spots by earning perfect scores of 100 on their Level 6 solo auditions. This marks Aiden’s second consecutive trip to All-State, having also represented Chatham in the 2025 All-State Chorus as a junior.
“It’s definitely cool to be going to All-State for the second time and to have Pax going with me,” Aiden said.
Cassandra, also a senior, achieved a perfect score on mallet percussion and, along with her sister, represents Chatham’s first student instrumental selections for All-State in five years. Hazel, a junior, earned her spot with a near-perfect score of 98 on her bassoon audition, distinguishing herself as the first underclassman instrumentalist from Chatham to go to All-state in recent memory.
The four musicians will travel to the prestigious Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester on December 3, where they will spend days in intensive rehearsals with top student musicians from across New York State under the direction of nationally recognized conductors.
“Getting to play with so many talented musicians is going to be amazing,” Cassandra said.
The festival culminates in a live showcase performance on Sunday, December 6, at the historic Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
"I’m really excited to be going to sing in a huge, beautiful amphitheater for the very first time, and to get to do this with my friends," Pax said.
Please join us in congratulating Aiden, Pax, Cassandra, Hazel, and the entire Chatham Music Department on this extraordinary achievement!