Local Student-Musicians To Perform At All-National Music Festival

SYOSSET, NY - Three Syosset High School student-musicians have been chosen to perform at the 2017 National Association for Music Education All-National Honor Ensembles concerts.

The event will take place at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida from
Nov. 28 to Nov. 29.

Grace Mittleman and Eric Schess have been invited to perform with the All-National Honors Choir, while Hannah Son was selected to play the flutein the All-National Honors Symphony Orchestra.

During the 2016-17 school year, talented music students across the United States and overseas in military-base schools practiced diligently to gain a chair or part in their local, district and state music honor ensembles.

Of those most elite high school musicians, 608 were considered to be the “best of the best” and were selected for the festival by audition.

All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir and jazz ensemble.

Selected students will be rehearsing a challenging repertoire in preparation for performing under some of the most prominent conductors in the United States.

Grace and Eric will perform under the direction of Dr. Z. Randall Stroope, while Hannah will follow the lead of Dr. Margery Deutsch.

Stroope is the professor of music and director of choral/vocal studies at Oklahoma State University, while Deutsch served for nearly 30 years as director of orchestras and professor of conducting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“This is the highest recognition that a student-musician can receive for participating in a school music program,” Syosset Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts, K-12 Michael Salzman said. “Having three students from one high school invited to perform on this national stage is a great honor."

Congratulations to the students!

Pictured from left: Syosset High School Principal Dr. Giovanni Durante and Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts, K-12 Michael Salzman with musicians Grace Mittleman, Eric Schess and Hannah Son for their selection to the NAfME All-National Honors Ensembles. They are joined by band teacher Larry Ballereau. Missing from the photo is choral teacher Kristin Howell.

Photo courtesy of the Syosset School District