Radnor High Senior Selected For All-National Symphony Orchestra

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — A Radnor High School senior and cellist will play in the All-National Symphony Orchestra in January, but it will be a virtual concert rather than live in Orlando.

Radnor High School senior Anya Chan was recently selected to the National Association for Music Education's (NAfME) All-National Honor Ensembles (ANHE). She will be a member of the cello section of the All-National Symphony Orchestra during a virtual ANHE program from Jan. 7-9, after the cancellation of live performances in Florida.

Because of the pandemic, NAfME canceled its in-person combined 2020 NAfME PreK-12 National Conference, Music Research and Teacher Education Conference, and All-National Honor Ensembles, originally scheduled for Nov. 4-8 in Orlando, Fla.

"I am really happy to be selected," said Anya. "It is disappointing that they canceled the in-person program but I am excited for the virtual performance."

The All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir, jazz ensemble, guitar ensemble and modern band. Students were selected through an audition process. District, regional, state and national auditions were held during the 2019-20 school year to determine the musicians selected for the 2020 all-national ensembles.

"Both the state and national auditions were virtual, which was less nerve-wracking for me," Anya said. "However, this meant that everyone would send in their best recordings so, in a way, it was more challenging."

Anya began playing cello at age 7 after hearing her older brother's lessons. She plays in the Radnor High School orchestra and is a member of the Radnor String Quartet. She also studies privately.

"I decided to concentrate on the cello because I enjoy the range of the instrument, which is similar to that of the human voice. Higher notes are melodic and singing while the C string, or the lowest string, produces growly resonance," the cellist said.

The virtual NAfME event will include several rehearsals with the 2020 ANHE Conductors, workshops with renowned clinicians, and each ensemble will create a final, recorded performance which will be premiered online.

The selected students will perform under the direction of six of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Rodney Dorsey (concert band); Nobuyoshi Yasuda (symphony orchestra); Frances Fonza (mixed choir); Todd Stoll (jazz ensemble); Chuck Hulihan (guitar ensemble) and modern band (Tony Sauza).

National Association for Music Education, among the world's largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education.

NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers.

The Association has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 60,000 members teaching millions of students nationwide, the organization is the national voice of music education in the United States.