November 2025 - Clocker Beats is back! The 25'-26' school year is underway, and we're excited to share all the fantastic things happening in our music performance groups.
AHS Vocal Music Spotlight: Announcing the 2025-2026 Bel Canto Society Members
AHS Vocal Music Students Selected as National Anthem Singers at Home Football Games
Fall Concert Season is Here! Plus: Join the AMA for a Meet & Greet
November 2025 - Get ready to celebrate the talent of Ashland's young musicians! The Fall Concert Season has officially launched, and we invite the entire community to attend. All concerts are free and open to the public and held at the Ashland High School Barry Ruthford Auditorium, unless otherwise noted.
We're especially excited to welcome the 4th Grade Band to the stage this year. Come out and support these young musicians as they begin their journey!
The AMA invites all parents to a Meet & Greet before the 8th Grade & AHS Band Concert on Wednesday, November 13th, from 6:00–6:45 PM in the Ashland High School Cafeteria.
Connect with fellow music parents.
Learn what the AMA does and why your support is crucial.
Discover simple ways you can help keep our school music performance programs thriving for years to come.
We look forward to seeing you there to kick off the season!
Bigger & Better! AMA Winter Fair Returns Dec. 5th
November 2025 - Mark your calendars! The Second Annual AMA Winter Fair is back on Friday, December 5th, and we've leveled up the festive fun! We’re thrilled to add new activities to spark a love of music and musical performance.
Instrument Petting Zoo. New this year, thanks to Musicologie Ashland, kids can get hands-on with real instruments!
Sing-Along. Join Elsa, the snow queen, & other festive singing fun led by talented AHS choral students.
"Everything Makes Music" Craft. A new station for creative, hands-on musical creation using everyday household items.
Holiday Movie Music Concert Magic. Don't miss the free AHS concert, where young children are invited up front for a special reading of The Polar Express with live band accompaniment!
The Details:
When: Friday, December 5th
Winter Fair from 6:00 to 8:30 PM - $5/child or $10/family
Holiday Movie Music Concert from 7:00 to 7:40 PM- Free & Open to the public
Location: Ashland High School Cafeteria & the Barry Ruthford Auditorium
Food will be available for purchase before and after the concert. This event is a fundraiser to support growing financial needs of the Ashland Public School music performance groups.
Meet the Mindess Music Teachers
November 2025 - The music programs at Mindess Elementary are now in full swing, creating exciting new opportunities for students.
For the first time in over two decades, 4th Grade Band has returned, giving students an earlier start on their instrumental journey. This instrumental instruction for grades 4-5 is led by the new dedicated band teacher, Ms. Serena Valentin. Starting formal instruction a year earlier provides a powerful developmental boost: the complex mental processes of reading music and coordinating an instrument enhance cognitive skills, memory, and concentration, leading to benefits across all academic subjects and building a stronger foundation for the middle and high school music programs.
Also making a welcome return is the Mindess Chorus for grades 4-5, led by Ms. Alejandra Fontaine, filling the halls with student voices after several years' absence.
Learn more about Ms. Valentin and Ms. Fontaine on the AMA Meet the Teachers page – their backgrounds, what sparked their passion for music, and how they like to spend their free time outside the classroom.
Leading the Way in Music: AHS Choir and Band Leadership Teams Announced
November 2025 - New student leadership teams have been chosen for the AHS Concert Choir and Blue and White Bands for the 2025–2026 school year. These students play a key role in guiding their peers, supporting their programs, and bringing energy to performances. Congratulations to these student leaders!
AHS Choir Officers. Chosen by their peers, each position has unique responsibilities, from organizing events and managing communications and meetings to handling budgets and capturing memories. But the most important part of each position is to be a cheerleader for each singer, section, and the entire group—bringing positive energy and leading by example at every rehearsal and performance.
President: Bella Bordieri
Vice-President: Gabby Ilin
Secretary: Erick Almeida
Treasurer: Darianna Gonell
Historians: Aster Condakes, Siyona Gupta, and Ariya Kearsley-Theberge
AHS Band Leadership Team. Students were selected based on essays showcasing their leadership skills, public speaking experience, and how the band program has impacted them, as well as how they plan to give back. Seniors on the team serve as announcers at concerts, supporting both their peers and the program. We’re excited to hear them take the mic and introduce the concert selections!
Blue Band
Senior: Ariel Achildiev and Neha Ruthramoorthy
Junior: Sabrina Lin
Sophomore: Millie Jaiswal
Freshman: Jonah Bloom
White Band
Senior: Hasini Reddy
Junior: Gianluca Uglialoro
Sophomore: Liana Thomas
AMA Returns to Ashland Day
November 2025 - The AMA was thrilled to be back at Ashland Day this year after a long absence! It was a fantastic day reconnecting with the entire community and showcasing the energy and talent of our music performance groups.
Music Student Ambassadors: Our talented music students were on hand all day, enthusiastically speaking with past, current, and future music families about the programs and sharing their passion for music education.
"Everything Makes Music" Craft: Kids loved getting creative at our booth by exploring how sound is made with everyday items.
The AMA Photo Booth: Our new photo booth was a hit!
Music Trivia Fun: The AMA sponsored a short music trivia game at the gazebo, challenging the community's knowledge of popular music across decades and our music performance groups.
We were absolutely thrilled to connect with so many faces and to witness the widespread curiosity and support for our music performance groups from the community at large.
A huge thank you to the Ashland Day Committee for all their hard work in making this annual event a tremendous success! We can't wait to see you all again next year!
AHS Vocal Music Spotlight: Announcing the 2025-2026 Bel Canto Society Members
November 2025 - Congratulations to all the members of the Bel Canto Society, Ashland High School’s audition-only vocal music performance group. This year’s ensemble features a mix of familiar faces and new voices. These talented students, selected through an audition process, have shown exceptional skill, dedication, and passion for vocal music.
Soprano
Shea Callahan
Maia Cerrito-Stingo
Aster Condakes
Hannah Cox
Caroline Diamond
Eva Feder-Ewell
Siyona Gupta
Lily Larson
Mercedes MacLean
Kyleigh Vento
Alto
Coraline Bertulli
Bella Bordieri
Brynn Bodnar
Kelli Danehy
Daniela Davila-Santacruz
Charlotte Dowd
Darianna Gonell
Sophia Josti
Ariya Kearsley-Theberge
Gabby Ilin
Anna Shulgina
Vivi Vernes
Baritone
Erick Almeida
Amit Mechtinger
Trey Meigs
AHS Vocal Music Students Selected as National Anthem Singers at Home Football Games
November 2025 - Four talented students have earned the coveted honor of singing the national anthem at Ashland High School’s home football games this year. Returning to the lineup are Caroline Diamond, Gabby Ilin, and Mercedes MacLean, joined this season by newcomer Charlotte Dowd.
These students were selected through a competitive audition process that highlighted not only their vocal talent but also their school spirit. As national anthem performers, their a cappella voices will open each game and lead the crowd—bringing students, families, and fans together in a shared tradition. Congratulations to these outstanding vocalists on this well-earned honor!
AMS Student Spotlight: Garrett Ferguson Named Semi-Finalist in International Film Scoring Competition
November 2025 - This past summer, 8th grader Garrett Ferguson was named a semi-finalist in the Indie Film Music Contest, an international film scoring competition that prioritizes musical storytelling over studio-level production, giving emerging composers a fair chance to compete.
It was Garrett’s first time entering the contest, and to prepare, he spent part of his summer completing an 11-hour YouTube course focused on film music scoring. He then applied what he learned to compose an original score for a suspenseful, three-minute live-action film entitled “Closing Time,” one of two films selected by the competition organizers for participants to score.
Garrett’s composition stood out among entries from around the world, earning him a well-deserved spot as a semi-finalist—a particularly impressive feat given that other competitors in his age category were as old as 23! His recognition in the competition is a testament not only to his musical talent, but also to his initiative, creativity and dedication to learning something new. Congratulations, Garrett!
Thank You, 25’-26’ AMA Business Sponsors
November 2025 - The AMA is thrilled to welcome our incredible sponsors for the 2025-2026 school year! This year, we launched our business sponsor program to help support the additional financial needs of our music performance groups. The generous support of these sponsors is the essential overture to another year of exceptional opportunity for our music performance groups..
A massive thank you to our top-tier Principal Conductor Sponsors, the businesses leading the way:
We also proudly recognize Fishworks for their support at the Rhythm Backer level.
Thank you for setting the stage for success and helping our students shine!
