All County is a mixture of students all over Harford County high schools that have a talent in chorus, orchestra, and band. North Harford sends numerous amounts of individuals to this annual event, including senior choir member Alex Zivkovic, senior band member Laura Eller, and senior orchestra member Monica Bullock.
Zivkovic has been in All County for three years, Bullock has been in it for five years, including choir and orchestra, and Eller has been involved for two years.
“I love meeting new people from other schools in All County,” said Zivkovic. “You see familiar faces from years past and sometimes completely new ones.”
According to Bullock, she enjoys being a part of All County because she is surrounded by individuals who love music just as much as she does. Also, all the students are dedicated and serious to making the orchestra sound perfect.
“After all that hard work and long, grueling hours of rehearsing it really pays off to hear everything come together,” said Bullock. “To hear the applause and feel satisfied with a great concert.”
Additionally, the process is difficult and challenging to make it into All County, according to Zivovic.
“A good number of students from North Harford audition and get in, always more girls than boys, but never the less North Harford is always well represented,” said Zivkovic.
The choir members must perform a full piece on their voice part, a simple art song, rhythmic sight reading, and melodic sight reading for their audition.
For orchestra, the students must play three random scales that the judge ask them to play, sight read, and play an excerpt of a song that the county provides in advance.
All County band also has to prepare a piece given in advance, just like orchestra.
Zivkovic believes the melodic sight reading is the most challenging because she only has a few moments to read the music when she arrives. She also has to sing it in front of teachers she has never met before.
“In class we practice both rhythmic and melodic sight reading and Mrs. Jones is a big help for those who struggle learning to read music,” said Zivkovic.
Band and orchestra is also challenging to be accepted because there are only a set number of spots for each part.
“Many students audition and who gets into all county depends on the instrumentation (or number of each instrument or voice part) for the ensemble,” said Eller.
Eller was excited to receive first chair for the bassoon in All County band.
“I enjoy playing the music in All County. It is more challenging than the music I get for school and sometimes, I need to be pushed and try more difficult pieces for my instrument,” said Eller.
Bullock enjoys meeting new friends from all around the county who share her passion. In addition, she enjoys being able to work with different conductors and see their different style of teaching.
“The conductors are always amazing and have a way of reaching in and bringing out the students’ deepest passion and making us sound the best we can be,” said Bullock.
In addition, Bullock is proud to represent NH and perform in both All County orchestra and chorus.
“Singing and playing an instrument are so different, yet so similar,” said Bullock. “Being in advanced choir and orchestra helps me make connections between them and broaden my idea, knowledge, and love of music.”
“The hard work pays off with an amazing experience with amazing and talented students from around the county,” said Zivkovic. “I encourage all music students to try it at some point of their high school lives!”