Student-musicians form Ahwatukee are scoring points on the state and national scene.

The Advanced Mountain Pointe High School Advanced Girls Choir girls chorus "Cantabile" recently received its first “superior” rating at the Northern Arizona University Jazz & Madrigal Festival.

The annual Northern Arizona University Vocal Jazz Madrigal Festival, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the Southwest, features special guest clinicians and over 140 high school ensembles from Arizona and nearby states. The two-day festival includes a host concert in which choirs from NAU and professional groups of national and international stature appear.

The following Mountain Pointe students are members of Cantabile: Lexi J. Artusa-Sirota, Megan Blume, Tiffany, Brockman, Nadia Chavira Albo, Khalia Davis, Laura Dickenson, Grace Fedyski, Angelina Gray, Ciara Gutierrez, Molly Harrison, Rachel Keating, Arin McIntosh-Vaughn, Annally Ocasio-Zavala, Nathalia Rivera, Rosalinda Rodriguez, Mya Salas, Ivy Salazar, Madison Smith and Bailey Valenti.

Meanwhile, the Desert Vista High School Orchestra earned the William E. Richardson Program of Distinction Award for the fourth time. It is the only school in the state to receive this award. It is given to programs which earn a Superior Rating at every Arizona festival.

Desert Vista received “Superior with Distinction” at every festival.

Desert Vista also won a number of honors at the ABODA Area Concert Festival. Band director Josh Thye was honored, the concert and symphonic bands earned superior ratings and the Wind Ensemble earned a Superior with Distinction rating.

This is the first time in school history that the Concert Band, a freshman ensemble, received a superior rating at festival.

Also, orchestra sponsor and teacher Darlene Wedington-Clark was honored while the Symphonette Orchestra received a Superior rating and Superior with Distinction honors went to the symphony and chamber orchestras.

Mountain Pointe High School’s Wind Ensemble received an Excellent rating at the ABODA festival.