Five music groups from Shaker Junior High School performed at the Great East Music Festival in Massachusetts on Friday, May 11.

Select Band was awarded a Silver medal, Select Chorus and Jazz Ensemble were awarded Gold medals, and Scherzo! and Syncopella were awarded Platinum medals. The judges were very impressed with the level of musicianship from each of these ensembles.

Each of these groups rehearses weekly after school with a music teacher from Shaker Junior High School — Brian Austin, Dan Chouiniere, Peter Suzuki, and Dimitri Vasilakis. They are selected by audition in the fall. Syncopella is a vocal group that includes boys in grades 7-12; the other ensembles include students from grades 7-8 only.

The students traveled on coach buses very early Friday morning and performed for experienced adjudicators. After listening to their peers' performances and accepting their awards, the students continued on their trip to the Six Flags amusement park in Agawam, Massachusetts, where they spent the afternoon riding roller coasters and laughing with Looney Tunes characters.

Top photo caption: Shaker Junior High School music students pose at the entrance to Six Flags after their competition.

Bottom right photo caption: Shaker Junior High School Music teachers Brian Austin and Pete Suzuki with Foghorn Leghorn character.