Huntington Seniors Presented with Music Awards
Alicia Ortiz is this year's recipient of the $1,000 Linda Shoemaker Blue Devil Scholarship as the senior "who best exemplifies the benefits of membership in the band on his personal growth during high school." The honor was presented during the senior academic awards night held last week in the Huntington High School auditorium.
Seniors walked away with more than 20 different music medals, certificates, plaques, pins and financial scholarships after distinguishing themselves over the past four years.
Messrs. Matthew Petryk and Justin LoScalzo were the recipients of the Huntington High School Award for Overall Contributions to Music. Christina Caronia won the National Choral Award.
Mr. LoScalzo, a Colgate University-bound senior was presented with the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award for being an outstanding instrumentalist as demonstrated through superior musicianship, character and individual creativity.
Mr. LoScalzo also took home the John Philip Sousa Award, which was created in 1955 and honors the top student in the high school band. The award has become the pinnacle of achievement for band students. It was developed with the cooperation of Helen Sousa Albert and Priscilla Sousa, daughters of the famous composer and bandmaster.
Nitika Shah was the recipient of the National School Marching Band Award. Brielle Blatt and Alicia Ortiz were presented with American Legion Music Award medals for having "contributed the most in the field of music."
Thomas Hardardt, who is bound for the University of Rochester in the fall, won the Woody Herman Jazz Award. Mallory Martilla was presented with the New York State Field Band Conference Award. It carries a $300 stipend.
The Suffolk County Music Educators Association presented Robert Folan with a $100 scholarship after he was selected as an "outstanding senior" by music department members.
Mr. Petryk, who is headed to Binghamton University, also earned the James Doty Memorial Award, which is presented annually to a member of the high school orchestra who has demonstrated devoted service over three years. It carries a $100 stipend. Mr. Petryk was also the recipient of the Tri-M Music Leadership Award
The Jane Sullivan Award for the best all-around choir student in the graduating class went to Kristina Casale. The award carries a stipend of $100. Ms. Casale will begin studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall.
Andrew Ku won a pair of $100 scholarships. The Vassar College bound senior earned the Evelyn Daniels Memorial Scholarship, which is presented to an outstanding member of the orchestra who has excelled as a performer and exhibited dedicated service to the orchestra. He also won the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education scholarship.
Jeffrey Sun and Michael Marchetta won $200 scholarships given by the Orchestra Parents' Association, for their dedication and service. Hannah Rice was the recipient of the Dorothea Waddell Award, which includes a $100 stipend.
The prestigious Vandersall scholarship was also awarded for the first time, with Ms. Ortiz being the inaugural recipient. The $500 scholarship was given in honor of Jean Hoerner Vandersall, who passed away on March 30, 2008. An accomplished pianist and a member of the Manhattan School of Music's faculty, Mrs. Vandersall maintained a very active teaching studio in Huntington and was an inspiration to her students. Mrs. Vandersall and her husband, Thornton sent three sons through the Huntington School District.