AGAWAM – Michael Winer, a senior at Agawam High School (AHS), has been accepted into the 2021 Massachusetts All-State Chorus.

He will be representing the school as a member of the All-State Chorus of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA), which is a part of the larger National Association for Music Education (NAFME). As part of this achievement, Winer, who is a tenor singer in the AHS chorus, will be performing in all-state virtual concert performances on March 6 and March 20.

Every year, according to Winer, students audition to feature in a district-wide choir. Participants who perform well enough during this audition receive recognition throughout the state of Massachusetts.  

Students who receive a high enough score during this audition gained the opportunity to put together another performance for the state. Winer created a second piece for this audition, which the state accepted. If his virtual performances go well enough on those March dates, then Winer could be recognized on an even wider scale.

“It keeps going after that; it goes into regionals, and then the eastern half of the U.S., and then world” said Winer. “But it’s very rare for anyone to make it to regionals around here.”

Winer, who has been singing for 10 years at this point in his life, sang with a group called the Young Singers of Greater Westfield prior to being a part of the AHS chorus. He said that his inclusion in the Massachusetts All-State Chorus means the world to him.

“I’ve been working so hard at trying to get there to achieve this once,” said Winer. “I got there, but it feels surreal half the time.”

According to Winer, there will most likely be around 150 students participating in this statewide performance. Details about how performances will be operated were not released as of press time. In the meantime, Winer said that he will be basing his production for all-state on what he performed for the district-wide choir.

“My parents made all-state, and my older sister made all-state three times,” said Winer. “So I have a bit of reputation to live up to.”