Congratulations to O'Connell junior Vasili "William" Varfis who was recently selected as a member of the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) All-Virginia Chorus.
William was one of nine Bishop O'Connell choral students participating in the early February District XII choral festival. They were part of a group of 235 students from Fairfax and Arlington public and private high schools who were accepted into the district chorus through an audition process which took place last November. At the festival, all junior and senior participants also had the opportunity to audition for the All-Virginia choir, where only two students from each voice part was selected.
This April, William will travel to the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to represent District XII in the Bass 1 section of the VMEA All-State Chorus.
William isn't new to the choral performances. In addition to his role in the O'Connell men's choir, he has been a member of the Children's Choir of Washington for several years, even performing at the White House."Acceptance into the All -Virginia Chorus is a great accomplishment for William and much deserved given his talent and dedication to the choral program at Bishop O'Connell," said Peter Kadeli, O'Connell's vocal music director.
Closer to home, you can enjoy William and the rest of the O'Connell vocalists at one of their upcoming performances. The Feb. 18 Broadway Desserts is already sold out, but there is a free spring concert May 18 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. William will also be performing in the O'Connell Players spring musical, "Into the Woods." Tickets are already on sale for the Apr. 7-9 performances.