Southeastern's Community Music School names outstanding musicians
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
by: Tonya Lowentritt
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| Michael Noble-Hodge | Ellie Ridgell | Ava Chatellier | Kelsey Jones |
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Community Music School announced
Michael Noble-Hodge, Kelsey Jones, Ava Chatellier and Ellie Ridgell as the Spring
2018 CMS Outstanding Musicians.
The Outstanding Musicians were chosen by audience votes during the final three
spring
2018 recitals, said Community Music School Director Jivka Duke. Noble-Hodge won the
vote for the Tuesday, May 8 recital, Jones had the highest number of votes from the
recital on May 9, and Chatellier and Ridgell split the vote on the Friday, May 11
recital.
“We congratulate our Spring 18 CMS Outstanding Musicians. We look forward to
their showcase concert scheduled for Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. in the Hammond branch of the
Tangipahoa Parish Library,” Duke said. “We have big hopes and dreams for our students,
and we love to share their accomplishments with the community.”
Noble-Hodge is a 17-year-old jazz pianist from Ponchatoula. He has been playing
piano since the fifth grade and also plays the trombone and melodica. He has been
a part of the Talented Music program for the past three years and is currently studying
jazz. Under the Talented Music program, he has competed and received all superior
scores at the Bill Evans Jazz Festival and the Loyola Jazz Festival. In addition to
a nearly perfect score at Loyola Jazz Festival, Noble-Hodge was also awarded an Outstanding
Soloist award at the competition.
Ridgell lives in Denham Springs and is a fourth-grader at North Live Oak Elementary.
She has been taking violin lessons at the Southeastern Community Music School for
three years. Ridgell is also a chorale member in the Livingston Parish Children’s
Choir. In addition to her love for music, she likes designing dresses and reading,
Duke said. Ridgell loves all the animals she has on her farm - goats, chickens, ducks,
and dogs - and enjoys eating fresh honey from her beehives.
Chatellier is from Ponchatoula. She is home-schooled and currently in the fourth
grade. She has been playing the piano for one and a half years and likes to play softball
in the spring and volleyball in the fall. She has a love for all animals, Duke said.
Jones is from Albany. She is homeschooled, and her favorite subject is math.
Jones has been playing violin for two and a half years. She also enjoys playing the
piano, drawing and exercising in her free time.
“We are looking forward to the summer semester taking place from June 11 to July
26 and our summer programs taking place the last two weeks of June,” Duke added. “The
Summer Band Camp, the Guitar and Orchestra workshops are still accepting registrations.”
For more information about CMS summer programs and general registration, call
985-549-5502, or visit the CMS website at www.southeastern.edu/cms.
