MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM
Students enrolled at Manchester High School have the opportunity to enroll in a wide variety of music courses and participate in concerts, festivals, clinics, performance tours, and other trips. Music classes at the high school are electives and can be taken for Honors credit.
MHS Courses/Groups
COURSES (For School Credit)
Concert Band
Jazz Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble
9th-10th Grade Orchestra
11th-12th Grade Orchestra
Music Appreciation
Chorus
Piano I
Piano II
Digital Music
Guitar I
Guitar II
Guitar Ensemble
Songwriting
Music Entrepreneurship
AP Music Theory
EXTRACURRICULARS (NOT for Credit)
Marching Band/Color Guard
Winter Guard
Jazz Combo
Chamber Orchestra
String Quartet
Student-Led Groups
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Roundtable Singers
Jazz Choir
Handbell Choir
Modern Band
Music Tutoring (See your music teacher)
MHS PROGRAM OFFERINGS
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) Eastern Region Festival
Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) All-State Festival
Parade performances (Big E, Memorial Day Parade)
Student-Lead Chamber Groups
Music Tutoring Opportunities
Chamber Ensemble Gigs
Holiday Caroling/Guitar-Grams
Fantastic Festivals Adjudication & Six Flag Trip
Boston Symphony Orchestra Trip
Chamber Tours (Past examples include Virginia Beach; Toronto, Canada; Washington, DC; Philidelphia, Pennsylvania; and Orlando, Florida)
Open Mic with the Performing Arts & Communications Academy
MHS Performing Arts Awards
Partnership with the Manchester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale and the Master Singers of Worcester
High School Music Teachers
KEITH BERRY
Jazz Band Director
Mr. Berry directs the Jazz Ensemble and teaches general music classes. After school, he directs the Jazz Combo and works with the Manchester High School Marching Band.
E: b11kberr@mpspride.org
MARCO CANCELLIERI
Band Director, Percussion Director
Mr. Cancellieri ("Mr. C") is the Concert Band and Percussion Director at MHS. After school, he directs the MHS Marching Band (Fall) and Santa Band (Winter).
E: b11mcanc@mpspride.org
SUSAN KOHANSKI
Orchestra Director
Ms. Kohanski is the Orchestra Director at MHS. She also teaches general music classes throughout the day. After school, Ms. Kohanski runs the Chamber Orchestra, String Quartet, Cello Ensemble, and Bass Ensemble. Within our community, she serves as the cello section leader for the Manchester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale and provides numerous opportunities for her students to play alongside a professional music group.
E: skohanski@mpspride.org
CARINA ROSA
Chorus Director
Miss Rosa is the Chorus Director at MHS. She also teaches general music classes along with AP Music Theory. After school, Miss Rosa directs the MHS Roundtable Singers, Jazz Choir, Handbell Choir, Winter Guard, and the MHS Color Guard within the Marching Band. She also serves as the Tri-M Music Honor Society Advisor.
E: crosa@mpspride.org
MATT DESORBO
Guitar Teacher
Mr. DeSorbo is the guitar teacher and Guitar Ensemble Director at MHS. He also teaches Songwriting and Music Entrepreneurship. After school, he runs the Modern Band and serves as the Tri-M Music Honor Society Co-Advisor.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Community ensembles with whom we work in partnership
Manchester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale
The Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale (MSOC) is a nonprofit volunteer organization that brings quality orchestral and choral music to the community, provides performance opportunities for its members, and provides education and performance opportunities for young musicians in partnership with Manchester schools and other Connecticut schools and colleges.
Manchester High School partners with MSOC to provide our musicians with opportunties to perform at rigorous levels of musicianship with community and professional musicians.
Eric King (Zvlu)
Zvlu is a music producer and audio engineer with over 10 years of experience in
the music industry. He has worked as lead producer on several albums from concept to
production and has collaborated with brands such as Netflix, Telemundo, and Nissan. Working
with many successful artists ranging from dancehall to pop, Zvlu has established himself as a
go-to producer in the Greater Hartford area. 2022 marked the start of his music education
consultant business. Working alongside fellow artist and collaborator, Brandon Serafino, they
have created a new approach to class engagement with music entrepreneurship as the driving
force.
Zvlu co-teaches Music Entrepreneurship as community partner with Manchester High School.
Brandon Serafino
Brandon Serafino is a singer/songwriter/producer based in Hartford, CT whose soaring vocal arrangements pair with hazy electronic production, creating a vibrant and soulful soundtrack for millennial restlessness. His unique blend of synth pop, r&b, and world beats have contributed to a sonic landscape all his own. Brandon's creative DNA was forged by the musical community of his youth: a blues guitar-playing father, Sundays spent in church choir, and the discovery of jazz saxophone. He went on to study world music and live in Brazil, immersing himself in samba percussion and incorporating those influences into his own music.
Brandon co-teaches Music Entrepreneurship as community partner with Manchester High School.