Half Hollow Hills Musicians Receive All-State Honors from NYSSMA
Dix Hills, NY - October 3, 2018 - The New York State Music Association has made its selection of students who will participate in the 2018 NYSSMA Conference All-State music groups, and the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is very proud to have seven All-State musicians chosen to take part in this year’s Winter Conference. An additional 12 student musicians from the district were selected as alternates, and may be chosen to fill any openings in the performances.
Students chosen from Half Hollow Hills are:
- John DiGiorgio, Bass II, Mixed Chorus, High School West
- Francis Altamirano, Tenor II, Mixed Chorus, High School East
- Rinni Bhansali, Oboe, Symphony Orchestra, High School East
- Hannah Gerber, Soprano II, Treble Chorus, High School East
- Aaron Ichel, Violin, Symphony Orchestra, High School East
- Matthew Park, Double Bass, Symphony Orchestra, High School East
- Marco Tomassi, Contrabass in Wind Ensemble and Bass Clarinet in Symphonic Band, High School East
These students were chosen out of the thousands of students who auditioned for this honor at solo and ensemble festivals throughout New York State last spring. Over 2,400 students received scores of 98 or higher and were recommended for All-State consideration. The almost 900 musicians selected as All-State will be performing at the NYSSMA Winter Conference which takes place November 29 through December 2, 2018, in Rochester, New York.
The alternates from Half Hollow Hills are High School West’s Jessica Felber, Sara Ju, Anthony Smith and Sophia Vespolli, and from High School East are Allyson Adam, Daniel Connell, Johnathan Goldblatt, Dylan Landman, Rachel Sacher, Kathleen Tan and Donna Zarrabi.
“We are very proud of these students and their accomplishments,’’ said Dr. Darlene Lilla, the director of fine arts in Half Hollow Hills. “The hard work and dedication demanded by their craft is evident. They will be excellent representatives of our music department.’’
ABOUT HALF HOLLOW HILLS
An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of almost 8,000 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The district is committed to providing all students with opportunities to excel in academics, athletics and the arts.