Canfield students perform with All-State Orchestra

The Canfield Local Schools and its band program was well represented at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Professional Development Conference that took place Jan. 27-30 in Cincinnati.

The Duke Energy Convention was the venue for 2,000 plus music educators from all across Ohio to attend great professional development sessions and concerts. Canfield High School had alumni, two current band members and band director Michael Kelly actively involved in the four day event.

Ryan DiThomas and Drew Scalzo were both selected from more than 1,000 plus applications and auditions from high school instrumentalists all across Ohio to perform with the 2016 OMEA All-State Orchestra.

DiThomas is the son of Mark DiThomas and Kelly Williams. He has been a member of the Canfield High School Symphonic Band since his freshmen year. He has consistently earned Superior ratings at OMEA Solo and Ensemble competitions. DiThomas has been selected to perform with numerous honors ensembles, including the National Association for Music Education All-National Orchestra in Nashville, Tenn. (October 2015), the Ohio Music Education Association All-State Orchestra (2015 and 2016), the West Virginia University Honors Band (2015), the Northeast Ohio Region Orchestra (2014) and the Ohio Band Directors Conference Honors Band (2013 and 2014). Ryan was a three year member of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and is currently the Principal oboe for the internationally acclaimed Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. He studies oboe with Kathy Dick and clarinet with Al Colella.

Scalzo is the son of Louie and Jodi Scalzo. He has been a member of the Canfield Symphonic Band since his freshmen year. At OMEA Solo and Ensemble competitions, Scalzo has already gained an extremely impressive record of Superior ratings as a sophomore. His participation in honors ensembles include the OMEA All-State Orchestra (2016) and the OMEA District 5 Honors Band (2015). Scalzo is a percussionist in the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra, a position he has maintained for two years. He studies percussion with David Drevna and Dylan Kollat.

Working the booth for the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music was Emily Damelio (CHS Class of 2014). Damelio is in her second year and a member of their Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association (OCMEA) chapter. Also working for their OCMEA chapters were Hayley Ward (CHS Class of 2013) for Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music and Alyssa Titi (CHS Class of 2014) for the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University.

Lastly, Canfield band director Michael Kelly served on the State Board of OMEA as past president of District 5 (Ashtabula, Mahoning and Trumbull counties) as well as preparing to serve as the All-State Coordinator for the OMEA Professional Development Conference to take place in Cleveland in 2017.