Every two years, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Eastern Division Conference unites the European Music Educators Association with top student musicians from the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions—including the District of Columbia. This time around, twelve MCPS students were selected.
MCPS shared that at the conference, the All-Eastern Honors Ensembles—comprising mixed choir, treble choir, orchestra, concert band, modern band, and jazz band—feature the 600 highest-scoring students from 10 states. “I am absolutely thrilled for the incredible students who earned a spot in the NAfME All-Eastern ensembles,” said Phil Barnes, coordinator of instrumental music and theatre. “Their dedication, perseverance, and passion for music have truly paid off, making this honor well deserved.”
To be eligible, students must have participated in the Maryland All-State Ensembles the previous year as 10th or 11th graders and satisfy all other requirements. For the 2025 ensembles, several hundred Maryland students were eligible to apply, and of nearly 200 applicants, 33 were selected—including 12 from MCPS, representing seven high schools. Selected performers include:
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
• Sophia Ecker, Mixed Choir (soprano)
Montgomery Blair High School
• Zeyuan Zhao, Orchestra (violin)
Northwest High School
• Claire Shin, Mixed Choir (soprano)
Seneca Valley High School
• Donovan Holt-Harrington, Concert Band (clarinet)
Thomas S. Wootton High School
• Naysa Mustafa, Treble Choir (soprano)
• Katie Hwang, Orchestra (viola)
• Mason Lee, Orchestra (double bass)
• Liam Silberhorn, Orchestra (violin)
• Matthew Shoyket, Concert Band (trombone)
Walt Whitman High School
• Mitchell Kwoun, Mixed Choir (bass)
Winston Churchill High School
• Michelle Pan, Concert Band (flute/piccolo)
• Dan Huang, Jazz Band (bass guitar)
“This honor is a testament to these students’ exceptional talent and the countless hours they’ve devoted to perfecting their craft. I am so proud of them and can’t wait to see them shine alongside other talented musicians,” Barnes added. “This is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and I know they will continue to achieve great things in the world of music!”
The selected students will travel to Hartford, Connecticut, to perform on April 26–27 as part of the 2025 NAfME Eastern Division Conference. More here from MCPS.