WESTPORT–The Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) Western Region Music Festival this weekend will feature a new record for Westport, with 69 Staples High School musicians chosen to perform.

The Westport student musicians will be among some 500 peers from throughout Fairfield County who will rehearse intensively and present a concert on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Wilton High School. Staples’ showing marks the highest number of accepted students from any school in the Western Region, more than 50 public and private high schools across Fairfield County, according to the district.

With this weekend’s festival, Westport has nearly doubled its showing in recent years.

“Seeing this level of growth, both in numbers and musicianship, makes it clear that our music culture across all ensembles, band, chorus, and orchestra, is thriving at Staples,” said Steve Zimmerman, Coordinator of Music and Visual Arts. “These students put in the hours, and our outstanding teachers, along with our private teachers, have built a supportive environment where excellence is expected and achieved.”

Festival participants rehearse for two days with guest conductors, at a pace and level of expectation similar to professional ensembles. The experience culminates in the public concert on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Wilton High School, 395 Danbury Road, Wilton. The jazz band, treble choir and mixed choir will perform beginning at 2:30 p.m., with the string orchestra, full orchestra and concert band following at 5 p.m. Tickets are $17.

Thousands of students throughout the region audition for the festival, a process that includes prepared repertoire, scales, and sight reading. Accepted performers are chosen for honors band, orchestra, choir, and jazz ensembles. 

Participation in the Western Region Music Festival also qualifies students to audition for the CMEA All-State Music Festival, one of the most competitive and prestigious musical honors in the state, to be held March 26-28 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.