Local students to participate in All-State music events

One from Sullivan West, three from Liberty to perform in Rochester

Sullivan West High School

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY— Sullivan West senior Julia Berger has been accepted to the 2007 Conference All State String Orchestra for the second consecutive year. Students are accepted to this prestigious group based on their performance rating at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) spring evaluation festival audition. Julia scored a 100 (perfect score) at the 2007 evaluation festival held at Monticello High School last May.

Julia will attend a four-day festival held in Rochester on November 29 through December 2. Concerts are presented in the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music. Julia is a private student of Theresa Gao. She began studying the violin at the age of four. She also plays clarinet in the Sullivan West High School Concert Band and electric bass with the school Jazz Band, under Ross Reynolds, the Sullivan West band director. Julia is planning a career in the field of music.

Sullivan West junior Jessica Brey, a flautist, and freshman Jacqueline Ellmauer, a bassoonist, have been selected to participate in the 2007 Area All State Music Festival, to be held at Monroe-Woodbury High School on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30. Concerts will be presented Saturday evening. Julia was also selected for this honor.

Liberty High School

LIBERTY, NY — Liberty High School students senior Josh Goldstein and junior Max Siegel have been selected to participate in this year’s New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) Conference All-State showcase. Josh will participate as a vocalist in the All-State Mixed Chorus, while Max will be a member of the All-State Symphonic Band on the trumpet. Selections are based on each student’s NYSSMA Solo Evaluation, which took place in the spring of 2007. Both students earned a rating of 99 on their respective All-State solo evaluations. Director recommendations are also taken into account during the selection process.

In addition, senior Ryan Cerullo has been selected as an alternate to perform in the 2007 Piano All-State Showcase. Cerullo earned a perfect 100 on his NYSSMA All-State piano solo in the spring. There were 56 All-State Piano Showcase applicants statewide, and only 11 were selected for this year’s concert.

Josh and Max will attend the annual NYSSMA Conference in Rochester at the beginning of December, where they will rehearse with the top students from all over New York State, and perform in a concert at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester on Sunday, December 2. As an alternate, Cerullo will not participate in Rochester unless one of the selected students cannot fulfill their commitment to perform.

Josh, Max and Ryan have also been selected to participate in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Area All-State Music Festival to be held at Monroe Woodbury High School on Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17, along with vocalist Josh Maier and trombonist Roothland Medina.

All the selected students are active members of the performing ensembles at Liberty High School. They are under the direction of Scott Glasser, High School Orchestra; Tim Hamblin, High School Chorus; and Dan McConnell, High School Band. The students will rehearse on Friday evening and Saturday morning and afternoon with approximately 500 other students from the five-county area. The festival culminates with two concerts, one at 4:00 and one at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.