WRENTHAM - One of the busiest weekends of the year for the King Philip music program recently proved to be competitively rewarding.

The Jazz Ensemble I earned its 22nd consecutive gold medal at the International Association of Jazz Educators state finals held in Westboro, and will have the opportunity to play at the Hatch Shell in Boston in May. Jazz Ensemble II was awarded a silver medal, having received a gold medal at a qualifying regional earlier in March.

This past weekend, six King Philip music groups were involved in the Massachusetts Instrumental Choral Conductors Association annual festival held at various sites throughout Massachusetts.

The high school symphony band received a gold medal for "superior" performance, and the school's concert band received a silver medal,

Both the seventh- and eighth-grade bands from King Philip Middle School in Norfolk received gold medals, and the high school chorus received a silver medal as did the middle school chorus. The MICCA festival is held across parts of Massachusetts over three days. More than 200 groups from throughout the state participated, and medals were awarded to the participating ensembles by a distinguished panel of music educators, who discuss the fine points of each performance with the students. Only 15 percent are awarded the gold medal for superior performance.

MICCA, with the support of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is sponsoring its 10th annual "Stars at Symphony," with ensembles that earn a gold medal rating at the 2008 MICCA Concert and Choral Festivals performing at two world class venues: Mechanics Hall in Worcester on April 13, and Symphony Hall in Boston on Saturday.

Two other King Philip groups were also competing last weekend. At the New England Scholastic Band Associations Championships, the Indoor Percussion group was awarded a high score of 93.4, earning them the title of open class champions. The Winter Guard also won the Eastern Massachusetts Open Class championship in Salem.