5 Bellmore-Merrick Students Make All-State NYSSMA

The New York State School Music Association has selected five students in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District to its All-State ensembles when the organization gathers for its winter conference in Rochester, NY on Dec. 4.

The selection to NYSSMA’s All-State list is determined by a series of auditions conducted throughout the previous school year. The students named to the All-State list are:

Lydia Librizzi, Calhoun High School. Orchestra. Lydia is a First Chair viola player in the Long Island String Festival. She is a member of the Calhoun’s Choir which won second place last year in Music in the Parks.

Cara Slovinsky, John F. Kennedy High School. Chorus. Cara is a member of the Drama Club, Key Club, Variety Choir and Girls Chorus, of which she is co-president this year. She also plays the piano and bass clarinet.

More Bellmore-Merrick news:

• Smooth Sailing at Mepham Homecoming Game
• Bellmore-Merrick Students Named Hispanic Recognition Scholars
• Mepham English Teacher Honored with Educator of Excellence Award
• Bellmore Students Express Themselves Through Art

Daniel Grange, John F. Kennedy High School. String Orchestra. Daniel has played the the cello in the Kennedy String Ensemble for three years and in the student volunteer ensemble “Playback” for three years, which performs in various retirement homes in the local area. Daniel is a skilled pianist as well, having received a score of 100 on his Piano level 6 NYSSMA audition. He has played piano in the Kennedy pit band, accompanied the Kennedy Women’s Choir and Concert Choir, in addition to singing Bass in the Variety Choir and Concert Choir.

Mara Friedman, John F. Kennedy High School. Mixed Chorus. Vocal Jazz. Last year, Mara was chosen to the All-Sate Mixed Chorus and an alternate for the Vocal Jazz Ensemble and was a member of the All-County Vocal Jazz Ensemble in 2013 and 2014. Mara is not only a member of the Variety Choir, Girls Choir, Jazz Ensemble, and the Drama Club; she has consistently held leadership positions including President and Vice-President. She also takes voice and trumpet lessons.

Alyssa Rabinowitz, W.C. Mepham High School. Chorus. Alyssa is a member of Mepham’s choir and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. She is also an active member of the Skull and Bones Drama Club.

In addition to the All-State selections, Sanford H. Calhoun junior Elijah Maduro was selected as an alternate on NYSSMA’s Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. Maduro plays the tenor saxophone and is a member of the wind ensemble as well as Calhoun’s jazz band.

At the Oct. 15 meeting of the Bellmore-Merrick Board of Education, all six students were recognized with a certificate of congratulations.

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