One hundred twenty-five students from the Great Neck Public Schools were invited to participate in the 2016 All-County Music Festival performing in the Band, Orchestra or Chorus at the Tilles Center, located at LIU Post. They were chosen by a committee of music teachers from throughout Nassau County and serve as a standard of excellence for their musical peers and an inspiration to their schools. This annual festival embraces student musicians in grades 5–12.
Division V: Grades 11 & 12
North High School Band: Isabelle Sehati, flute. Orchestra: violinists Rachel Berkower, Lauren Goldsamt and Ronald Li. Women’s Chorus: altos Eliana Smooha and Katie Tropp-Levy.
South High School Band: Rachel Brenner, clarinet; flutists Robin I. Park and Yujin Park. Jazz Band: Maximilian Manicone, guitar. Orchestra: Lucia Geng, flute; cellists Haena Kang, Jonathan Lee and Joshua Lee; Kathryn Lam, violin; violists Robin H. Park and Yerin Son; Robin Shum, oboe; and Alwyn Zhang, double bass. Mixed Chorus: William Ren, bass, and Noah Harouche, baritone. Women’s Chorus: Tooba Alwani, soprano.
Division IV: Grades 9 & 10
North High School Orchestra: Matthew Han, trumpet/cornet; Keva Li, violin; Joshua Rothbaum, Bb clarinet; Megan Xu, viola; and Isabel Yang, violin. Chorus: Oliver Besman, baritone; and sopranos Rachel Schlusselberg and Adi Sragovich.
South High School Band: Katelyn Chang, flute; Ryan Cheng, bass clarinet; Brian Cho, baritone saxophone; Kelly Foo, oboe; Anderson Gu, alto saxophone; Zhen (Tom) Huang, Bb clarinet; Emily Huh, flute; Stephen Kurpiewski, bass clarinet; Michelle Xing, bassoon; and David Yao, clarinet. Orchestra: Jeremy Chen, oboe; cellists Daniel Kim and Michael Zhang; flutists Rachel Kim and Seo Hyun (Alisa) Lee; violinists Derek Lin and Kimberly Lu; Noah Sheidlower, trumpet; and Eric Yang, clarinet. Chorus: Bonnie Charles, alto; sopranos Susan (Susie) Fendt and Ashley Yu; Jundong (Ryan) Pan, bass; and Patrick Shen, tenor.
Division III: Grades 7 & 8
North Middle School Band: Raymond Lin, snare drum. Orchestra: Jeremy Bernstein, cello; violists Esther (HeeJun) Hwang and Brandon Lin; violinists Albert Jan and Daniel Zeng; Madeline Yang, flute. Chorus: Alex Mousazadeh, baritone, and Ashley Schlusselberg, soprano.
South Middle School Band: Thomas Chang, trumpet; Christiana Claus, flute; Clarinetists Ian Jung, Kathryn Lee and Rini Lee; and French hornists Jason Li and Benjamin Rossen. Orchestra: oboists Michelle Foo and Jin Won (Eric) Kim; Clarinets Eli Goldberger and Michael Lu Zhang; violinists Kelly Lam, Oliver Lee, Maya Pfeiffer, Mia Wang and Alexandra Woroniecka; and Ann Zhang, viola. Chorus: altos Sophia Kim and Jinyeong (Jin) Yu; and Juliet Rofe, soprano.
Division II: Grade 6
North Middle School Band: Jonathan Moalemi, trombone. Orchestra: violinists Jason Mei and David Zeng. Chorus: sopranos Sarah Hershenhorn, Shana Litt, Sahar Tartak, Christopher Yang and Renee Zeng.
South Middle School Band: Allen Lu, clarinet. Jazz Band: Sophia Wotman, trumpet. Orchestra: violinists Laura An, Johann Lee and Jansen Wong; and Dana Siong Sin, viola. Chorus: sopranos Rosanna Gao and Matthew Lahren.
Division I: Grade 5
E.M. Baker School Band: Dana Kagan, clarinet; Mark Li, snare drum; Ethan Schulman, alto saxophone; and Katharine Tang, flute. Orchestra: Cellists Jillian Chang and Holly Song.
J.F. Kennedy School Band: Luke Cronin, clarinet. Orchestra: Tricia Wu, cello, and Yuxi Zhou, violin. Chorus: sopranos Julia Hyman, Joelle Kokhabi and Owen Roubeni.
Lakeville School Band: Celine Hong, flute. Orchestra: violinists Drew Kim and Joy Yang. Chorus: altos Maia Mehring, Deena Weber and Michele Yu.
Saddle Rock School Band: Joy Song, clarinet. Orchestra: violinists Rebecca Bernstein and Allison Lee; and Jessica Xu, cello. Chorus: sopranos Dylan Kohanim, Nancy Schoen, Arianna Siony and Mika Parness.
District music teachers are preparing the students to participate in the All-County Music Festival:
On the secondary level, instrumental students are taught by Joseph Rutkowski, North High; Jacquelyn Tomlet and Matthew Trinkwald, North Middle; Mark Boschen, Michael Schwartz and Anthony Virgilio, South High; and Mark Boschen and Alan Schwartz, South Middle.
Secondary vocal students are taught by Dr. Janine Robinson, North High; Arielle Murdocco, North Middle; Dr. Pamela Levy, South High; and Shelley Willcox, South Middle.
Elementary instrumental students are taught by Anne Fogarty, Baker; Amy Kempton, Kennedy; Juan Garcia and Jennifer Hood, Lakeville; and Dr. Christopher Wilson, Saddle Rock.
Elementary choral students are taught by Cynthia Gorney, Baker; Korey Terranova, Kennedy; Robert Pietromonaco, Lakeville; and Chad Lasky, Saddle Rock.
The All-County Music Festival is sponsored by the Nassau Music Educators’ Association (NMEA). Founded in 1936, NMEA is a nonprofit voluntary organization of Nassau County teachers. NMEA is an arm of the New York State Music Association and the Music Educators’ National Conference. It sponsors and organizes performance-festival opportunities for Nassau County students and offers workshops and clinics for its members.
