Farmingdale HS Students Help Raise $42K For Music Scholarships

WESTBURY, NY — Farmingdale High School musicians recently performed in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame’s (LIMHoF) Very Special Holiday Concert held at Jovia Presents The Space at Westbury Theater.

The event featured music students from six school districts across Long Island, including the Farmingdale High School Symphony Orchestra and Farmingdale Jazz Chorus, alongside the John L. Miller Great Neck North and William A. Shine Great Neck South High Schools, Uniondale, Longwood and Queens High Schools.

Each district was recognized earlier this year by LIMHoF for offering excellent music programs. Special guest performer Christiaan Padavan from Hampton Bays (who performed on American Idol), also did a special performance accompanied by the Farmingdale High School Jazz Chorus.

"Performing at LIMHoF was a wonderful experience," Thérèse Mannino, Farmingdale High School director of orchestras, said via the LIMHoF press release. "The students and I were honored to be a part of this event and honored to have received the Gold recognition from LIMHoF. We hope it encourages other schools to apply and participate in order to bring awareness to what our Long Island schools are doing for student-musicians and to show the importance of music in education."

Over 800 people attended the event, including some surprise celebrity guests: LIMHOF 2018 Inductees EPMD Parrish Smith and Erick Sermon, who showed up to support the cause.

The total amount raised from this event was about around $42,000 for future music scholarships. This total included a $12,000 donation from the Jill’s Dreams Foundation in honor of Jill Nees-Russell from Port Jefferson, a LIMHoF Board member who recently passed away and was dedicated to supporting LIMHOF’s mission.

"The opportunity to play on a stage where professionals perform regularly was an experience that I suspect the students will never forget," Ed Kozlowski, Farmingdale High School jazz chorus director, said. "I am so proud of how our Farmingdale students performed and represented our high school, which I believe was truly deserving of the 'Gold' recognition that the Long Island Music Hall of Fame awarded us with!"

Ernie Canadeo, chairman of the LIMHOF Board, said part of the hall of fame's mission is supporting musical education and acknowledging those that put the effort in to inspire future musicians.

"There is no better way to celebrate that commitment than to host a concert where these schools, educators and students can shine," he said. "We had a packed house at Jovia Presents The Space at Westbury. Why? Because the talent is real! Performances by our 2019 recognized high schools, a jam by Friends of LIMHOF and inductees and a Mobile Museum – all in one afternoon – now that is Long Island music!"

After several years in the planning stages, the event marked another significant milestone for LIMHoF; the public debut of the recently-completed interior of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame’s Mobile Museum. Those who attended got an exclusive first look at the inside of the 38-foot Winnebago-turned-tour bus that honors the 100+ Long Island inductees into the Hall. The bus will be part of LIMHoF educational initiatives in the future.

"Our vision of a Mobile Museum has finally become a reality, thanks to the support of Jovia Financial," said Kelly Leung, a LIMHOF board member. "It was a labor of love, designed to inspire and educate, and Jovia understood our commitment to Long Island’s music heritage and music education. We packed a great deal into 300 square feet and look forward to sharing it across the Island at community events, festivals, and schools in 2020."

For more information about Long Island Music Hall of Fame and its educational programs, check here.