SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 ‒ Twenty five students have been selected as Ward Melville representatives for the All-State Festival of the 2017 NYSSMA Winter Conference.

Ward Melville makes history as having the largest number of students selected for the festival. Several of these students have been chosen for more than one ensemble group, including Katie Griesel, who will be performing as a soprano for Mixed Chorus and oboe for Symphonic Band as well as Kaleidoscope’s very own Emma Cowan, who received the chance to perform as a violinist for the Symphony Orchestra, and to serve as an alternate for Jazz Soprano Voice and Soprano II.

“I’m just so happy,” Noah Mond, a tenor for the Mixed Chorus, admits. “My whole summer was waiting for that letter to come.”

The selection process for these twenty-five students was based on auditions held last spring at Sachem East High School, as well as teacher recommendations. Students were selected either to perform or represent as alternates for this year’s festival.

Below are the list of this year’s All-State musicians:

Kian Abbott: Violoncello, Alternate
Jesse Arnold: Jazz Tenor Voice, Alternate
Richard Caporusso: Bass I, Alternate
Ryan Carlozzo: Bass I, Alternate; Jazz Bass Voice, Alternate
Isabella Colombo: Alto II, Treble Chorus
Emma Cowan: Violin, Symphony Orchestra; Jazz Soprano Voice, Alternate; Soprano II, Alternate
Benjamin Cummings: Jazz Guitar, Alternate
Jared Gozinsky: Snare Drum, Wind Ensemble
Katie Griesel: Soprano II, Mixed Chorus; Oboe, Symphonic Band
Steven Holmquist: Violin, Alternate
Victor Jiao: Violin, Alternate
Andrew Kim: Violin, Symphony Orchestra
Eleanor Kopp: Trumpet, Alternate
Denise Lai: Violin, Alternate
Lawrence Lan: Violoncello, String Orchestra
Marielle Leiboff: Soprano II, Alternate
Cameron Liquori: Alto II, Mixed Chorus
Serena Liu: Violin, Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Ma: Violoncello, Alternate
Anna Macedonio: Soprano I, Alternate
Noah Mond: Tenor II, Mixed Chorus
Joseph Monte: Jazz Tenor Voice, Alternate; Tenor II, Alternate
Matthew Okrent: Euphonium, Symphonic Band
Julia Pollina: Soprano II, Alternate
Luciana Ragolia: Alto II, Treble Chorus; Jazz Alto Voice, Alternate