ACSMA All-County Honors Festival I is this weekend at Cuba-Rushford Central
From Festival organizers,
Each year, as January unfolds, music classrooms across Allegany County come alive with focused rehearsals and excited anticipation as students prepare for the first of three Allegany County School Music Association (ACSMA) All-County Honors Festivals. These festivals celebrate musical excellence and bring together some of the county’s most dedicated young musicians for an unforgettable collaborative experience.
On the weekend of January 16–17, 2026, the ACSMA All-County Honors Festival I will be hosted at Cuba-Rushford Middle-High School. The festival is being organized by Mrs. Megan Tackentein and Ms. Haley Emof, vocal and instrumental teachers at Cuba-Rushford MS/HS. More than 120 student musicians from all ten Allegany County school districts—along with participating string students from Canisteo-Greenwood Central School—will gather for two intensive days of rehearsals. Their hard work will culminate in a public concert on Saturday, January 17.
The concert will open with the 2026 All-County Honors String Ensemble, conducted by Christa Fortin. An alumnus of Nazareth College, Ms. Fortin is currently the orchestral music teacher at Canisteo-Greenwood High School and has previously taught in the Canaseraga Central School District and the Hornell City School District.
Following the string ensemble, the audience will enjoy a performance by the 2026 ACSMA All-County Honors Show Choir, under the direction of Aubri Enders. Mrs. Enders teaches grades 1–3 at Vernon E. Wightman Elementary School in Bath. In addition to her teaching career, she remains an active performer in the region, offers private voice instruction, and performs locally with her band, The Neighbors, at venues throughout the Keuka Lake area.
The concert will conclude with the 2026 ACSMA All-County Honors Intermediate Band, conducted by Tara Luthart. Mrs. Luthart currently serves as the elementary general music and instrumental teacher at Wellsville Central School and previously taught for three years at Belfast Central School. She is passionate about building strong musical foundations and inspiring a lifelong love of music in young musicians, making her a wonderful fit to lead this ensemble of developing instrumentalists.
This year’s ACSMA All-County Honors Festival T-shirt was designed by Karson Weatherly, a ninth-grade student at Cuba-Rushford Central School. By scanning the QR code featured on festival materials, attendees can visit the ACSMA online apparel store to place an order.
The concert is open to the public and will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Cuba-Rushford Middle-High School Auditorium. Tickets will be available at the door and are priced as follows:
Students and Seniors: $6.00
Adults: $8.00
Family: $20.00
(Family tickets are limited to immediate family members—up to two parents or guardians and three children.)
Community members are warmly invited to attend and support these exceptional student musicians as they proudly share their talents, dedication, and commitment to musical excellence.
