Lakewood High School junior cellist James Toner has been selected to perform with the National Association for Music Education’s All-National Honor Orchestra, which will perform in late October in Nashville, Tenn.
Toner will join about 63 other top-performing student musicians in the country to form this year’s honors ensemble.
Toner will rehearse and perform with renowned conductors when he travels to Nashville on Oct. 26 for three days of rehearsals capped off with a performance on Oct. 29 as part of NAfME’s Music Education Week. The National Honor Orchestra will be joined in that performance, which will be at the Grand Ole Opry House, by the national honor ensembles for Band, Mixed Choir and Jazz Band.
Sophomores, juniors and seniors from across the country were eligible to audition and had to submit a two-minute audition piece. To be eligible to audition, a musician must also have been selected to his or her All-State Orchestra.
Toner, who said the anticipation of waiting months on a decision from NAfME after submitting his audition tape was rough, eventually found himself “jumping up and down” when finally receiving the good news. He accredits his teacher, Elizabeth Hankins, and the LHS music program for pushing him to try new endeavors musically.
Said Hankins: “The Lakewood music program prides itself on providing its students with a number of musical opportunities, all of which strive to attain the highest possible standards. This coupled with the exceptional teaching of Ida Mercer, Jimmy’s cello teacher at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, and Jimmy’s hard work have landed him a coveted position in this national orchestra. We are very proud of Jimmy and ecstatic that he is representing Lakewood High School.”
Lakewood High School has had a representative in the All-National Honor Orchestra three out of the last four years. In 2011, cello players Chelsea Polk and Danny Toner were selected. Toner returned for a second appearance in 2013.
Toner’s national honor is not the only honor earned by Lakewood High orchestra members over the summer. Four students earned coveted spots in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and two were named alternates.
COYO members receive coaching from members of The Cleveland Orchestra and work under the directorship of The Cleveland Orchestra conduction staff while rehearsing at Severance Hall each week. The following students earned membership into this prestigious pre-professional youth ensemble: seniors Devon Chodzin, Stephen Moncol and Kyle Wagner and junior Nicole Harris. Sophomore Zachary Dudzik and junior Evan Levis were named alternates.
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