Ross Boberg and Tracy Chou of Los Altos Hills; and Edward Divita III, Sarah Fernquest, Elanor Gilham, David Krueger, Christina Nguyen, Ramya Parthasarathy, Dante Popalisky, Kimberly Tran and Kaitlin Solera of Los Altos are among the 15 St. Francis High School students who have been named National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

The Los Altos High School Wind Ensemble returned from England this summer with a silver award for its performance in the first London International Wind Band Festival, which organizers plan as an annual event.

The wind ensemble auditioned for the festival by submitting a CD. The 45-member band also performed at Stratford-upon-Avon - Shakespeare’s birthplace - and in the 1,000-year-old Bristol Cathedral.

LAHS Music Director Ted Ferrucci conducted students, who played “Pineapple Pull” by Arthur Sullivan, Yiddish Dances by Adam Gorb, “Elegy for a Young American” by Ronald Lo Presti, and pieces by Johannes Hanssen, John Philip Sousa and Morten Lauridsen.

In addition to conducting the school’s wind ensemble, Ferrucci directs the award-winning Los Altos High School Eagle Marching Band, jazz band, orchestra and symphonic band.

Upcoming events include a Veteran’s Day wind ensemble concert at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 11, in the LAHS Eagle Theater.

For more information about these and other LAHS music events, contact Ted Ferrucci at ted.ferrucci@mvla.net or 960-8844.