The 53rd annual District Music Festival and Art Exhibit, sponsored by the Sewanhaka Central High School District, will be held at H. Frank Carey High School on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. The event features talented young musicians from each of the district’s five schools.
More than 300 students from all five high schools will participate in the music festival. Tickets are available through the music departments of all the schools for $8.
These students, selected by audition, will perform as members of a district orchestra, band and choir under the direction of three guest conductors. These conductors have impressive resumes which have earned them accolades throughout the Metropolitan area.
David Kaufman, band conductor, has been directing the Concert Band and teaching AP Music Theory in the West Islip Public Schools for the past 15 years. He directs jazz quartet, the pit orchestra and the brass ensemble and coordinates several chamber music ensembles.
Orchestra Conductor Patricia Koppeis presently serves as musical director and conductor of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra’s Nassau Symphony Orchestra. During her 30 years as a professional educator, Koppeis taught all levels of strings in the Syosset School District. She has conducted several area all-states, honor orchestras and Long Island String Festival Association.
Tim Warner, chorus conductor, currently serves as one of two choral directors at Freeport High School. Warner directs the concert chorus, ninth grade select chorus and the madrigal singers. Warner is an active composer and performs regularly with the six-time Grammy Award winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
The festival is dedicated to Douglas Libby. Libby retired from active service in Sewanhaka in 2012, after having served the board of education as its counsel for over 32 years.
