PMEA All-State Orchestra was the weekend of April 23, and Beaver Area was represented by junior Ian McCarty Cogis on the string bass.

The festival was held at the Kalahari resort in the Poconos. The All-State Orchestra was led by Dr. Tim Dixon from Messiah University.

McCarty-Cogis’s teachers, particularly Beaver Area orchestra director Ms. Caroline Poeggel, said, “We are very proud of his accomplishment.”

McCarty Cogis said of his achievement that “states surpassed my expectations, and I was exposed to a level of playing that both challenged and engaged me. My experience there ended up being productive and enjoyable with the skills I worked on and the other players that I met.”

“Being surrounded by so many people my age that shared my passion for music and performing was refreshing and pushed me to want to work hard and improve my own abilities,” said McCarty Cogis.