By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

In January, 75 high school vocalists and musicians will convene in Bangor for the 2009 All State Jazz Festival, two of whom are from the Kennebunks. 

Emily Bauer, 16, of Kennebunk and Will Maxwell, 15, of Kennebunkport, both students at Cheverus High School in Portland, recently auditioned with 12 other classmates and were two of four Cheverus students selected to participate in the festival. 

The Maine Music Educators Association hosts the annual festival, selecting 75 of the best high school vocalists and musicians through an audition process. Students are expected to prepare for the festival, practicing their parts and listening to recorded accompaniments, which they will perform as a group in concert. 

Bauer will be one of eight soprano vocalists to collaborate in January, while Maxwell is one of four guitarist selected for the festival. Cheverus music director Chris Humphrey said until he brings the students to Bangor they will be practicing the five songs they will perform as part of the larger group during the festival. 

“They’ll be expected to know their parts when they arrive,” the Kennebunk resident said. 

Both Maxwell and Bauer are no strangers to music, though January will mark their first experience with All State Jazz Festival. 

After playing the trombone for two years, Maxwell added guitar to his repertoire in sixth grade. Now a sophomore, he is focusing his talent on guitar auditioning for All State Jazz Festival for the first time.  

“I was surprised to be selected, but it is pretty cool,” Maxwell said. 

Bauer began singing jazz a year ago, but played the flute for many years prior. 

“I started singing because a lot of friends were in the jazz choir and it looked like a fun thing to do,” Bauer said. “Being selected for the festival was a complete shock, but I’m really excited.”

Of the 540 students at Cheverus, 120 students are involved in a music program, and Bauer and Maxwell are two of the best students, Humphrey said. During the audition process, Bauer and Maxwell had to master five pieces of music. Maxwell played pieces that proved he can perform a variety of jazz genres and Bauer sang her part accompanied by a recording of four other parts to prove her singing capacity. Both also had to improvise during a solo performance.

Practicing music for the festival is in addition to regular classes, which will require the students to practice after school and extra on their own time, but Humphrey said for them boredom with regular class work happens easily. 

“The festival gives them the opportunity to get out of Cheverus and work with a group of awesome students,” Humphrey said. 

In anticipation for the weekend festival, Bauer and Maxwell are preparing for intense rehearsals and learning to work with the other parts by listening to recordings. 

Humphrey said he will attend the festival with the students as they practice all day and into the evening the first day, then practice more the next morning before an afternoon concert performing the five pieces they had to learn. 

“I’m not nervous now,” Maxwell said. “But I probably will get nervous.”