Students join Johnstown Symphony Youth Orchestra

By Johanna Knapic

Four outstanding eighth grade students from United School District, Annalise Felton,

clarinetist; Austin Friday, trombonist; and Richie Janicsko and Zach Nixon, trumpet players,

recently joined the Johnstown Symphony Youth Orchestra (JSYO).

The JSYO rehearses every Saturday morning during the school year, preparing one

concert per semester. Auditions are held before the start of every semester and require a prepared

solo from each hopeful musician. With an age group ranging from junior high through college,

concerts encompass selections from popular

culture, such as bits from Lord of the Rings, as

well as traditional classical repertoire.

Felton joined the orchestra in the

fall, and Friday, Janicsko, and Nixon joined

this winter. Felton’s motivation to join

sparked when she saw the 2016 spring

concert, and she, “completely fell in love.”

She continued, “All summer I waited for the application to be on their website. I spent a month

in prep and made it.”

No matter what sparked their motivation for auditioning, Mr. David Anderson, the

director for the JSYO since September 2016, is happy to have them. Anderson noted, “I have

been extremely impressed with both the overall musical ability of the players and their fast rate

The Student Newspaper of United High School

Volume 63, Issue 3, January/February 2017

From left to right, Austin Friday, Annalise Felton,

Zachary Nixon, & Richie Janicsko.

of improvement.” He went on to say that he has, “full confidence that our three new United

eighth grade students will join Annie [Felton] in being valuable members of the JSYO.”

The students’ ambition stems from a desire for personal improvement, as Anderson

mentioned.

Friday believes, “[The JSYO] will make me a better musician.” Anderson admits that “It

is hard work.” Every piece presents new challenges for the musicians.

Felton acknowledged her difficulties as, “having to learn new rhythmic patterns, higher

notes, and the composer’s style that must be learned in able to play the piece well.”

Janicsko and Friday added that their challenges include finding cue notes and learning to

read tenor clef.

Anderson continued, “When everyone puts in this work, not only do we have the

opportunity to make incredible sound together, but individual members have exercised their

brains in so many different ways. Doing this year after year continues the development, and

having a wide range of skills - and being able to think about problems in many different ways -

helps in whatever career students eventually choose.”

In addition, Mr. Zach Karcher, United’s band director, stated that the students learn such

skills as, “responsibility, dedication, endurance, reading music in new keys, [and] blending with

a large ensemble.” With this kind of leadership, it is no wonder United received a merit award in

2016 from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for, “outstanding

support of music education, enriching the lives of children and advancing student achievement.”

Nixon encourages every student who is interested in auditioning to simply, “Go for it!”

because, “Your fellow musicians are like a second family and will never judge.” Friday agrees

with Nixon, adding, “Don’t be afraid to do what you love.”

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Murder at United High School

By Anna Dolan

On February 18 and 19, the United High School drama club performed Mandate for

Murder. The play follows Joan Sedgewick, Dolores MacDonald, Mackenzie Tarleton, Estelle

Murchison, Monroe Lafferty, Eileen Lafferty, Billy Joe Hopkins, Millie Kensington, Matt

Kensington, Kathleen Donovan, and Commissioner Doggerty as they investigate the murder of

Mike Chambers. The audience also participated in the play’s action by casting ballots for the

mayoral candidate and changed which

character became mayor.

Skye Cramer, a junior, has been in

drama club for six years and thought that

the shows went well. She played Millie

Kensington in the show and felt excited

that she got a lead role. She likes being in

drama club because, “You get to be

someone other than yourself.”

Helena Karcher, a junior, has been

in drama club for five years. She played Eileen Lafferty in the show and also thought the

performances went well. When she found out that she got a lead role, she, “felt confident that I

could succeed.”

The cast consisted of the following students: Sophia Naugle as Joan Sedgewick, Cierra

Teats as Dolores MacDonald, Jordan Penrose as Mackenzie Tarleton, Hannah Brown as Estelle

Murchison, Jacob Brown as Monroe Lafferty, Helena Karcher as Eileen Lafferty, Ashley

Students perform for their peers during the school production of A

Mandate for Murder.

Penrose as Billy Joe Hopkins, Cramer as Millie Kensington, Nathan Brown as Matt Kensington,

Savannah Yugovich as Kathleen Donovan, Julia Stewart as Commissioner Doggerty, and Ethan

Kish as Mike Chambers.

Extras and understudies included the following students: Hannah Baird, Kish, Katlyn

McDonald, Autumn Montgomery, and Caeli Woodring.

Extras included the following students: Cheyenne Doell, Anna Dolan, Zachary Heming,

Gavin Leightly, Hannah Livengood, Emily Ponchione, and Samantha Young.

The tech crew consisted of the following students: Taylor Painter, stage manager; Sarah

Marino and Emma McAnulty, assistant stage managers; Jordyn Ponchione, prompter; Casey

Moyer, light board; Jaslyn Bier, Johanna Knapic, and Owen Ludwig, spotlights; and Jayda

Fyock and Courtnee Garland, sound board.

The set construction crew consisted of the following students: Baird, Lorel Bartlebaugh,

Jaslyn Bier, Odessa Bier, Doell, Dolan, Ciara Fourhman, Fyock, Heming, Ally Karcher, Kish,

Knapic, Galen Leightly, Gavin Leightly, Livengood, Ludwig, Marino, McAnulty, McDonald,

Montgomery, Naugle, Coty Noel, Ashley Penrose, Emily Ponchione, Haley Robertson, Teats,

Chloe Strong, Abby Stutzman, Woodring, Young, Yugovich, and Ciara Zarnesky.

The director of the show was Mrs. Michelle Dunn, and the technical director was Mr.

Robert Penrose.