BANGOR – Music groups from Bangor High School brought home seven plaques and five trophies from the Heritage Music Festival in New York City.

The Heritage events, held April 18-19, are highly competitive and encompassed choral, band and orchestra groups from Biddeford, Ontario, Missouri, California, Utah, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky and Texas to name a few.

From April 17 to 20, 174 Bangor students from seven groups within the music department traveled with 22 chaperones and three conductors to New York City and participated in the events held at Riverside Church on Riverside Drive.

More than $100,000 had to be raised to pay for registration, hotel accommodations and transportation, as well as some sightseeing activities. Many students earned partial or full financial aid through the music booster program by working at basketball games, selling raffle tickets or participating in other fundraising activities.

Bangor High School participates in festivals like the Heritage Festival every other year. Their last trip was to Washington, D.C., in 2006, where they placed high in many categories. This year, the Bangor High School Music Department brought home:

Plaques

. Orchestra, directed by William Bell, Gold.

. Fiddlers, directed by William Bell, Gold.

. Vocal Jazz Choir, directed by George Redman, Gold first.

. Concert Choir, directed by George Redman, Silver.

. Chamber Choir, directed by George Redman, Silver.

. Jazz Band, directed by Scott Burditt, Silver.

. Concert Band directed by Scott Burditt, Silver.

Trophies

. Outstanding Orchestra, directed by William Bell.

. Adjudicator Award for BHS Orchestra, directed by William Bell. The Adjudicator Award recognizes any group scoring more than 95 points at the festival. The BHS orchestra was the highest-scoring instrumental group at the festival.

. Adjudicator Award for BHS Fiddlers, directed by William Bell.

. Sweepstakes Award for instrumental groups, directors William Bell and Scott Burditt. The Sweepstakes Award is for the school with the highest overall instrumental scores. In Bangor’s case, the four groups responsible for this trophy are the orchestra, fiddlers, jazz band and concert band.

. Festival Sweepstakes trophy for schools bringing two or more bands, or choral, and a choral or instrumental group. Bangor High School brought seven groups to the festival.

While in New York, the students also had a chance to do some sightseeing with a guided bus tour of the city. They visited Times Square, attended Broadway shows including “Phantom of the Opera,” “Lion King” and “Blue Man Group,” and toured the museum mile, SoHo, Chinatown and Mid-Town.

For information about the Heritage Music Festival visit: www.heritagefestivals.com/heritagefest/main/default.asp.