The talents of youthful performers from Mount Desert Island schools was demonstrated in glorious fashion at the District VI Vocal Jazz Festival at Sumner Memorial High School in Gouldsboro March 2.

Every one of the high school and middle school choirs received a 1 or 2 rating and will be moving on to state competition at the end of the month. Conners-Emerson Elementary, Pemetic Elementary and MDI High School garnered 1s, and Trenton Elementary received a 2.

First up were the middle schools and the Bar Harbor Show Stoppers! from Conners-Emerson. They set the bar high with selections from “Fiddler on the Roof.”

The Trenton Elementary show choir, directed by Seth Briggs performed music from “Bye Bye Birdie.”

When it comes to standout solos, Pemetic’s Peter Jacobson, who won the state award last year for best male soloist, once again displayed his remarkable talent in his school’s performance of “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat.”

Audiences had already been thoroughly entertained by the time the three high school show choirs took the stage. Ellsworth High and Sumner Memorial chose a glee club approach, picking an impressive variety of songs, from early pop to modern rock.

Mount Desert Island High School stuck to the more traditional show choir route, performing music from a single show, “The Lion King.”

The state competition is Friday and Saturday, March 30 and 31, at Ellsworth High School. All performances are open to the public.

But if MDI audiences would like a sneak peek, a “Show Choir Extravaganza” with performances by Conners-Emerson, Pemetic, Trenton and MDIHS show choirs is scheduled for Thursday, March 29 at the high school theater.

For more arts & entertainment news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.