Several Escalon High School students, both band and choir, will be taking part in the San Joaquin County High School Honors Concert, set for Saturday, Jan. 12 in Stockton.

Talented student-musicians from throughout the county will take part in choir, band, and string orchestra performances at the concert at San Joaquin Delta College. Before the 7 p.m. show, former participants in San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) music events are invited to a 6 p.m. reception as part of the 60 Years of Music Services celebration. Both the concert and reception are free and open to the public.

This year the SJCOE High School Honors Concert consists of 283 students (99 choir, 112 band, 72 orchestra) from 21 schools in 10 districts within San Joaquin County. More than 400 students auditioned in the fall. The auditions and concert are organized by SJCOE Visual and Performing Arts, which sponsors the event with Delta College Music Department and the San Joaquin County Music Educators’ Association.

Band students from Escalon include Chaz Cisneros, piano; Grace Resendes and Mackenzie Schrotenboer, flute; and Hayden Farris, French horn. The nine choir students representing Escalon will be Mitchell Cole, bass; tenors Alex Guevara, Jacob Dietzel and Michael Megenney; Kaitlyn Ruiz, Rebecca Baeza, alto; sopranos Sara Lee, Shelby Strock and Alisa Herrera.

Choir students submitted their auditions in September while the band musicians sent in their audition tapes in October.

Guest conductors select music and lead the performances. This year, those include Band guest conductor: Dr. Vu Nguyen, Associate Professor of Music, University of Connecticut; Choir guest conductor: Lou De La Rosa, Director of Choral and Vocal Studies, West Valley College; Orchestra guest conductor: Leo Eylar, Conductor-Composer, California Youth Symphony in Palo Alto.

The Nelson Zane Four-Year Award will be given to students who have been accepted to the SJCOE High School Honors program for all four years of eligibility. This year a total of 27 students will receive the award. Nelson Zane Four-Year Award recipients are eligible for a $500 scholarship. The scholarship winner will be announced during intermission.

The pre-performance 60 Years of Music Services reception will celebrate past events, such as high school and middle school honors concerts, band and choir festivals, clinics, master classes, and other music services provided through the SJCOE over the past six decades.

This will be the first of two performances and receptions scheduled for 2019. The Middle School Honors Concert is on March 2. Find more information about both concerts at www.sjhonors.org.