This article was originally published in Kaleidoscope‘s April 2025 print edition. It is being published as a separate online article now for easy access.
Spring is a time filled with excitement for the music community in the Three Village Central School District. As the school year nears an end, musicians are devoting their energy to preparing their pieces for upcoming performances. There are several major musical events happening in Three Village this spring, including NYSSMA and the Pops Concert.
NYSSMA, the New York State School Music Association, hosts a festival at schools across the state every year to give students a chance to perform the pieces they’ve been working on and get feedback from a judge. The auditions consist of playing scales, a solo piece and sightreading a short passage. NYSSMA is New York’s chapter of NAfME, the National Association for Music Education. It is the largest state unit in the country, with over 100,000 students participating annually.
This year, Three Village is hosting both its usual satellite festival for the district as well as the regional All State festival, which allows the most accomplished musicians from across the state to audition for a spot in performances in Rochester in the fall. Ward
Melville’s Tri-M Music Honor Society helps to run the event. Members are located outside each of the rooms during the festival to allow the auditions to run smoothly, and Tri-M has also been giving free music lessons to elementary and junior high school students to prepare for NYSSMA with its Music Without Borders program.
Another exciting event for musicians to showcase their talents is the Pops Concert, which will be held outdoors at Ward Melville on Monday, June 9, at 6:00 p.m. The concert is a celebratory event that features all of Ward Melville’s music groups, including a combined orchestra, combined band and jazz band.
This year, all three of Ward Melville’s choirs, Camerata, concert choir and women’s choral ensemble, will be performing. In the past, only Camerata participated in this event. Additionally, the music department is planning a grand combined performance with chorus, band and orchestra playing simultaneously. A group performance of that scale has never been done before at Ward Melville, but the music teachers and students are determined to pull it off. While the setlist remains a surprise, the songs are sure to be crowd-pleasers.
Ethan Tam, who plays the saxophone, has participated in NYSSMA since first grade. He has done piano, jazz, classical and ensemble NYSSMA over the years, sharing, “I believe NYSSMA is a great way for younger musicians to gain motivation to practice and work towards a very attainable goal. Without it, at a young age, it was hard to find motivation to work on techniques and harder pieces.” He also noted that “attending NYSSMA as a member of Tri-M is extremely fun because you get to see all the kids who worked so hard play their pieces in front of judges. Motivating them, giving them words of encouragement and giving them tips on how to do well as they perform is extremely rewarding for a musician like myself.”
The Pops Concert is a nice way to celebrate the end of the school year on positive terms. Madison DeLuise, a member of the concert choir, shared, “I’m so excited to perform songs that have had such an immense impact on our lives. Even though I don’t mind learning more obscure pieces, performing songs that both you and the audience know and love makes for a much more lively and engaging performance.”
Despite their differences, both events provide invaluable experiences for musicians who have poured countless hours into their work. DeLuise reflected, “NYSSMA has helped me stay focused and motivated to get the best score possible. It’s pushed me to work harder and become more determined to excel at my performance. It’s made me take singing more seriously, learning everything from the pronunciation of the lyrics to the various dynamics of the piece.”
Both NYSSMA and the Pops Concert are events taking place this spring that highlight the dedication and passion of musicians, offering a mix of challenges and excitement that elevate the music program at Ward Melville High School.
