Lakewood seniors Abigail (Abby) Kovach and Nora Dunne have been selected for the esteemed Northeast Ohio Regional Orchestra, run by the Ohio Music Educators Association. This high-level ensemble for high school students in the area is incredibly competitive and requires the utmost discipline.
This will be Abby’s third year earning a spot in the Regional Orchestra and her first year being selected for the prestigious All-State Orchestra to play the bass. The upright bass, a large string instrument, is known for its foundational harmonic and rhythmic support of the orchestra. “It is that core to the sound that you can’t get with the other instruments,” Abby explained. “And I love that I get to provide that.”
Abby traces her passion for music back to middle school. “Music is something I’ve been passionate about since seventh grade,” she said. “That’s when I decided, yes, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.”
Now, as both a Regional and All-State musician, Abby’s dedication and love for music have paid off. “To be in an ensemble where everyone is there because they are the best at what they do is really exciting,” she said.
This will be Nora’s first year in the Regional Orchestra, where she will represent Lakewood as a cellist. Much like a larger version of the violin or viola, the cello’s warm, resonant sound provides fundamental support and carries melodies.
As a dancer and musician, Nora views music as a lifelong passion. Nora hopes to continue pursuing it through music education. Reflecting on the upcoming orchestra experience, she said, “It’s gonna be really nice to play original music and to play with a ton of people that can challenge you and you can learn a lot from everyone there.”
Legendary orchestra director Dr. Elizabeth Hankins has served as the director of orchestral activities at Lakewood High School since 1990 and has made a profound impact on the school’s music program. She has taught both Abby and Nora and led them in their participation in The Lakewood Project, the nation’s first high school rock orchestra, established by Hankins in 2002.
Hankins praised the two students for their work ethic and achievements. “Both of them have been really committed to practicing, especially recently, taking the fundamental knowledge that they’ve been given from their private lessons teachers,” she said.
She also highlighted the intense competition among applicants this year. “Abby is one of eight in the state,” Hankins said about her bass qualifier. “And Nora making it into regionals is great because the number of cellos that auditioned this year was pretty high level.”
The Regional and All-State Orchestras are both renowned and esteemed communities with a series of requirements for auditioning and the selection process. “So right now, the way to audition to get into these orchestras is to play scales, and they give you a style that you have to play in, and then you have to learn excerpts from orchestral literature, which is being picked by college professors,” Dr. Hankins explained. The decision task involves listening to the auditions blindly, “so somebody’s listening to it and comparing it to the other 60 people that are playing the same thing in order to audition,” she stated.
The hefty application process is crucial when selecting for a limited number of spots in these orchestras. Those who commit to such a time-consuming and substantial responsibility are the most dedicated of musicians. “If you want to go into music or play in college, you definitely want these types of things on your résumé. Because, for example, All-State, you’re considered one of the top 100 orchestral musicians in the state,” Dr. Hankins said.
This is an incredible opportunity for these devoted students who worked their way up to these positions. It is yet another clear display of Lakewood’s flourishing music program and the success it continues to produce.
The endless possibilities and opportunities provided by the Lakewood music department give the students the guidance and support they need to advance in their passion. Congratulations to Abby and Nora, and best of luck at the upcoming performances in Columbus next year.
