Senior Pops Inter-Generational Concert Draws Crowd
Now in its eleventh year, the Senior Pops inter-generational concert never seems to lose its appeal. While it provides a crowd typically numbering more than 500 with two hours of enjoyable entertainment, it gives the members of the orchestra a chance to experience pure joy.
The Senior Pops is a community orchestra comprised of talented musicians. The group has a loyal following, which turned out to the Huntington High School auditorium earlier this month for a well-received performance.
“I teach all the orchestra kids a tremendous amount of music for about six weeks prior to the concert,” explained Lisa Leonardi, the high school orchestra director. “It’s usually six to eight pieces of professional level music, so it’s quite demanding. Then we rehearse with the Senior Pops once, for about two hours, during the school day.”
Two students, Mercedes and Karina Trejos, presented huge bouquets of flowers to their stand partners, who were visibly touched by the gesture. “The kids enjoy sitting with the seniors and interacting with them,” Ms. Leonardi said.
Senior Pops orchestra members are exceedingly good at their craft. They play a wide range of popular and light classics and come dressed in formal wear. The group cherishes the time it gets to spend with its teenage orchestra counterparts, sitting side-by-side for a variety of pieces.
During the concert, Ms. Leonardi presented a special award to Joseph Manzo, who recently retired as Senior Pops director after an 11-year stint. The gift, from the high school orchestra students, was a beautiful desk clock inscribed with the words: “Thank you for sharing your musical expertise, enthusiasm and unique sense of humor with the students of the Huntington High School orchestra.”
Since Mr. Manzo’s retirement, the Senior Pops orchestra has been auditioning new conductors. At the Huntington concert, the guest conductor was Michael Canipe, who also directs the Gemini Youth orchestra.
Ms. Leonardi was given the honor of conducting several pieces during the program. “The Huntington High School orchestra is growing considerably in size each year and when they all joined the seniors on stage, it was an incredible sight to see and an even more incredibly beautiful and impressive sound to hear,” said Joan R. Fretz, district director of fine and performing arts.
The performance drew a crowd of senior citizens from across Long Island as well as a large turn-out of local residents and parents. Attendance was buoyed by spring-like temperatures.
Huntington’s orchestra parents provided refreshments in the auditorium lobby “and got a big kick out of seeing about 20 brightly colored walkers ‘parked’ in the lobby as their owners enjoyed the program,” Ms. Fretz said.
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