PORTLAND — Music students at Portland Arts and Technology High School this week were scheduled to record several holiday favorites – live on the radio.

The session is now planned for Friday, Dec. 15, after Tuesday’s snowy weather caused the school to reschedule its appointment at 94.9 WHOM, according to Victoria Stubbs, the music teacher at PATHS.

The songs will be aired at different times through the rest of the month, and Stubbs said the station would “give a shout-out to PATHS” every time the songs are played.

The station, which is at One City Center in downtown, plays music from the 1980s through today, and can be heard across northern New England.

But at this time of year, WHOM plays all Christmas music all the time, and that’s why the high school students were invited to perform holiday songs live on the morning show.

“We jumped at the chance and we are looking forward to it,” Stubbs said prior to the recording session. “This is a new venture for the music program at PATHS. We have never done a live radio performance. … This is a new experience for the students also. Some of them have done talk interviews on the radio in the past, but this is a first for performing live.”

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The students are slated to perform three holiday songs: “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “My Favorite Things.”

Stubbs said seven students from the music program at PATHS were chosen to take part: Siama Green and Olivia Vail from Deering High School,Megan Walz from Portland High School, Jazmine Margel from Scarborough High School, and Delaney Clifford from Bonny Eagle High School in Standish.

The musicians are Alden Bertinet from Gorham High School on guitar and Logan Strout from Windham High School on drums.

Stubbs said the song selection for the live radio session started with interested students choosing their favorite holiday tunes, which they submitted to her for review.

“We collectively picked the best three songs,” she said. “The students have been working on the songs for a few weeks. Some sessions were student-led and some sessions were coached by me.”

Stubbs said the live radio appearance gives students “exposure to a wide (audience) of radio listeners.”

For PATHS, it’s a chance to make a connection between the music program and the Portland community, and to spread the word about PATHS.

“I hope listeners learn that PATHS is a school filled with students who choose to attend based on their interests and passions. This makes for an environment that is focused and positive,” Stubbs said. “I (also) hope listeners understand that PATHS is a great place for high school students to get a head start in their career choice.”

Kate Irish Collins can be reached at 710-2336 or kcollins@theforecaster.net. Follow Kate on Twitter: @KIrishCollins.

These vocalists from the Portland Arts and Technology High School music program were set to sing three popular holiday songs live on the radio Tuesday. From left are Delaney Clifford, Jazmine Margel, Siama Green and Livi Vail.


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