Huntington’s Top Musicians Perform
Two dozen of Huntington High School’s top musicians were among Suffolk’s elite at a dazzling set of performances before a packed house at the recent All-County Festival held at Northport High School.
The annual event, sponsored by the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education and the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association includes the top 600 juniors and seniors from across Suffolk.
“The students are required to prepare professional level music prior to attending three rehearsals and performing at a concert,” said Joan R. Fretz, Huntington’s district director of fine and performing arts. “This year proved to be even more challenging for the students and conductors, as the first rehearsal was cancelled due to the storm.”
The festival program included each of the All-State students from Suffolk, as well as other top musicians. Besides having an opportunity to play with some of the best young musicians in the state, if not the country, the Huntington contingent was also able to work with a group of exceptional directors.
Huntington’s All-County honorees include orchestra members Brian Gilbert, Melanie Grossman, Christian Jamison, Ashley Melgar, Benjamin Nikodem and Monica Owen, band members Matthew Beeby, Nina Flores, Francesca Gray, Brianna Kirkland, Collin Richardson, Joshua Solomowitz and Kevin Solomowitz, mixed chorus members Mattison Chadwick, Kyle Dorward, Alexa Gorczycki, Joshua Morris, Benjamin Rosen-Packard, Stephanie Shea and Joshua Stickell and women’s choir members Brianne Bennett, Chelsea Holmes, Alexa Kaplan and Anna Schiffmacher.
Ms. Melgar, Ms. Kirkland and Ms. Bennett and Messrs. Beeby, Richardson and Stickell also garnered All-State honors. Ms. Flores, Ms. Palmer and Mr. Jamison were named as All-State alternates.
The teenagers performing with the symphonic band were guided by conductor Stephen Peterson, Ithaca College’s director of bands. Members of the symphony orchestra were directed by Benjamin Loeb, an internationally acclaimed conductor, pianist and educator who teaches at the new El Paso Conservatory of Music in Texas.
Michele Holt, executive director of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association and past national president of the American Choral Directors Association directed the women’s chorus. The mixed chorus was led by Brady Allred, artistic director and conductor of the Salt Lake Choral Artists in Utah.
“The performances were breathtaking for the audience and provided an exhilarating learning experience for our students,” Ms. Fretz said. “Our Huntington High School music faculty is particularly proud of our All-County and All-State students. This is the largest group of students we have ever had accepted to both prestigious festivals. We are so glad that they have the opportunity to participate and represent our program.”
Six of Huntington’s All-State musicians will be in Rochester, New York this Thursday-Sunday to rehearse and perform at the prestigious New York State School Music Association winter conference. The group includes Ashley Melgar, Brianna Kirkland, Brianne Bennett, Matthew Beeby, Collin Richardson and Joshua Stickell.