Bellmore-Merrick Students Picked For All-State Music Festival

Each year, young musicians throughout New York receive the exciting notification that they have been selected to participate in the NYSSMA All-State Music Festival.

This year, the Bellmore-Merrick music department is proud to announce that they have seven students selected with four alternates — a record number for the district.

The All-State performance ensembles are honors groups comprise of the top students from school music department across the state. The students are directed by renowned guest conductors and perform in the famous Eastman Theatre in Rochester during the annual NYSSMA a winter conference.

The following Bellmore-Merrick musicians have been selected to participate this December: John F. Kennedy High School’s Tara Fusillo, Symphony Orchestra (viola); Cooper Moran, Symphonic Band (snare drum); Kiara Stefandel, Treble Chorus (alto 2) and Tiffany Vu, Symphony Orchestra (viola); Sanford H. Calhoun High School’s Patrick Collins, Symphonic Band (bass clarinet) and Adam Gokcan, Symphonic Orchestra (bassoon); Wellington C. Mepham High School’s Joy DelGiorno, Treble Chorus (soprano 2).

Additionally, the following students have been selected as alternates: Kennedy’s Andrew Brinton (tenor sax) and Hugh Cheung (bass clarinet) and Calhoun’s Morgan Kaplan and Jack Parr (vocal).

The students are taught under the direction of teachers, Walter Avellaneda, Jeanette Pincus, Robert Salzer, Sanford Sardo and Edward Tumminelli.