The Huntington High School chamber orchestra has captured a Gold Level 5 New York State School Music Association rating. The notable achievement was realized at the “major organization” festival at Walt Whitman last Friday.
It marked the first time a Huntington ensemble has attended a NYSSMA major in several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The musicians are directed by high school music teacher James DiMeglio.
![Huntington High School orchestra director James DiMeglio.](../../../assets/images/2022/may/cameo-02b.jpg)
Huntington High School orchestra director James DiMeglio.
“It’s a really exciting accomplishment,” said Brian Stellato, Huntington UFSD’s interim coordinator of K-12 art and music education. “Mr. DiMeglio and the chamber orchestra members should be super proud of all their hard work leading up to this gold medal performance. This success is a credit to their commitment to the ensemble and their peers.”
Huntington’s 2022 chamber orchestra includes:
First violins: Allison Quinn (concertmistress), Joanna Lee, Alexis Kaloudis, Enzo Pupillo, Cassidy Casabona, Brad Nisipeanu, Sofia Marchetta, Liva Camarata, Teddy Tiliakos, Renata Meiram; Second violins: Shaina Linker (principal), Lily Tierney, DeAndre Simmons, Tyler Wheeler, Katherine Balm, Caitlin Dubnau Maher, Hannah Byers, McKenna Buffa, Jamie Xio Mejia-Ortez; Violas: Andrea Mani-Munoz (co-principal), Damaris Mani-Munoz (co-principal), Charlotte Gordon, Brooke Parks, Amalia Heinz, Deanna Elvir; Cellos: Erin Ye (principal), Charles Siepel, Sarah Berry, Ian Rotunno, Hannah Roberts, Emma Waters; Basses: Ada Cruz-Gutierrez (principal), Matthew Armstrong, William Berry
Mr. DiMeglio has been the orchestra director at Huntington High School since 2019. He conducts the string, symphony and chamber orchestras. He previously worked in New York City for several years in an orchestra program he created. He obtained his BA in music at Stony Brook University and his MA in music education at Columbia Teacher’s College.