Pictured: Bronxville High School seniors Katarina Seuffert and Aryia Banihashem-Ahmad who performed at the OAKE Conference Choirs event

By Blaine Malefatto, Syntax

April 10, 2024: Two outstanding Bronxville High School seniors recently showcased their musical talents at the prestigious Organization of American Kodály Educators’ National Conference Choirs event at the Chicago Symphony Hall.

Aryia Banihashem-Ahmad (soprano 1) and Katarina Seuffert (alto 1) performed with the Chamber Choir. The repertoire, consisting entirely of a cappella pieces, ranged from the early Baroque with Johann Schein’s “Ich freue mich im Herren” to contemporary selections from Australia and South Africa. For Banihashem-Ahmad, this marked her third selection for the OAKE National Honor Choir, while Seuffert participated for the second year in a row.

“Aryia and Katarina are exceptional musicians and leaders in the school choral program,” choral director Pamela Simpson said. “The girls have participated in chorus, extracurricular Choristers and Chorale, solo recitals, and the middle and high school musicals since sixth grade.”

Students who were selected to participate in the choirs went through a rigorous audition process. The national conference brings together well-known educators and conductors over the course of four days and culminates with a performance by the students who had been selected to participate. OAKE, which was founded in 1975 as a meeting place for music educators, aims to support music education and promote universal music literacy and lifelong music making.

Photo courtesy of the Bronxville Union Free School District