Eighty-five students representing Archdiocesan Secondary Schools and private Catholic High Schools throughout the five-county region have been selected to participate in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s 2022 All Catholic Chorus and Jazz Band and to perform in the annual concert.
This year’s All Catholic Chorus, is under the direction of guest conductor, Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins, Artistic Director of Westrick Music Academy and the Princeton Girlchoir in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. The concert will be hosted by Mrs. Jami Green, Chorus Instructor at Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County) and Mr. Kevin Nenkov, Band Director for Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School.
2:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 6, 2022
Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School
403 North Lansdown Avenue
Drexel Hill, PA 19026 (Delaware County)
The students will perform pieces that have been selected from: The Heavens Are Telling composed by F.J. Haydn; Veni Creator Spiritus composed by Anthony Bernarducci; How Lovely Are the Messengers composed by Felix Mendelssohn; Modimo, Traditional Sesotho/Zulu arranged by Michael Barnett; I Will Be A Child of Peace composed by Elaine Hagenberg; I Got a Song composed by Colin Lett; and I Will Sing comped by Michael Engelhardt.
Students from Archdiocesan Secondary Schools including Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County); Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown (Chester County); Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls Hunting Park section of Philadelphia; Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County); Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County); Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Archbishop Ryan High School Northeast Philadelphia; and Roman Catholic High School in Center City Philadelphia will participate.
Students from private Catholic High Schools including Nazareth Academy High School in the Northeast Philadelphia; Villa Maria Academy High School in Malvern (Chester County); Academy of Notre Dame de NAMUR in Villanova (Delaware County); and Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem (Bucks County) will also participate.
Four Year awards will be presented to Grace Curry, Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County); Danielle Fury, Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County); Emma Sills, Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); Evenlyn Stong, Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Dominic DiFrancesco, Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem (Bucks County); and Corey Hecdivert, Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem (Bucks County).
This year’s All Catholic Jazz Band is under the direction of guest conductor, Mr. Nicholas Lombardelli, Brass Instruments and Jazz Instructor at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County).
The students will perform pieces selected from Mode To John by McCoy Tyner, arranged by Nick Lombardelli; St. Louis Blues by W.C. Handy, arranged by Gil Evans; Hay Burner by Sammy Nestico; and Don’t Git Sassy by Thad Jones.
Students from Archdiocesan Secondary Schools including Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown (Delaware County); Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County) will participate.
Students from private Catholic High Schools including Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School in Gwynedd Valley (Montgomery County); Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland (Bucks County); Holy Ghost Preparatory High School in Bensalem (Bucks County); and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in North Philadelphia will also participate.
Four Year award will be presented to Cecilia Wible, Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown (Chester County).
Background Information on Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins, Guest Conductor:
Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins has varied conducting and teaching experience ranging from the elementary to the collegiate level. Dr. Jenkins is Artistic Director of Westrick Music Academy and Choral Educator in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, New Jersey. At Westrick Music Academy, she conducts touring groups, Princeton Girlchoir Ensemble and Concert Choir. Before these appointments, Jenkins served as Assistant Professor of Music Education at Westminster Choir College of Rider University and Conductor of the Resident Training Choir at the American Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey. She was also on the conducting and teaching staff of the Temple University Children’s Choir in Temple University’s Music Preparatory Division and The Haverford School in Pennsylvania.
She is a choral music educator of international stature, lecturing and conducting in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Iceland, South Africa, and Switzerland. Jenkins has conducted honor choruses at national, divisional, and several state conferences for American Choral Directors Association and Organization for American Kodály Teachers and numerous all-state choruses and choral festivals. An active clinician, she presents interest sessions and workshops on fostering human connection and community in the choral rehearsal at professional music association conferences and colleges.
Jenkins was inducted into the Music Education Alumni Hall of Fame and presented the Alumni Merit Award in 2014 by Westminster Choir College for her contributions to music education. She earned degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University (B.M.), Temple University (M.M.), and University of Arizona (D.M.A.), and at the first two institutions was awarded the Elaine Brown Conducting Award.
Background Information on Mr. Nicholas Lombardelli, Guest Conductor:
Mr. Nicholas Lombardelli is a lifelong musician and proud Philadelphian. Nick graduated from The University of the Arts, obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies in 2015 and his Master of Arts in Teaching degree in 2016. Nick has the privilege of performing with many great musicians in the Philadelphia area and beyond, including Ben Folds, Jamie Cullum, Cory Wong, Nestor Torres, Orrin Evans, Pablo Batista, The Larry McKenna Jazz Orchestra, The Jack Saint Clair Orchestra, The Philly POPS, and The Chancel Choir of The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Nick has also had the privilege of writing for The Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Philly POPS Big Band, The Mason Brothers, The University Of The Arts, First Presbyterian Church, and more. In 2014, Nick won the International Trombone Association’s Carl Fontana Jazz Trombone Competition. Nick is currently the brass instruments and jazz instructor at Cardinal O’Hara High School.
# # #
Editor’s Note:
For more information about All Catholic Music, please visit allcatholicmusic.org/.
Contact:Meredith Wilson
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747