Huntington Musicians in Long Island String Festival
A talented group of young musicians from the Huntington School District was selected to participate in this year's Long Island String Festival. Participation in the annual event is considered an honor and raises the profile of each student.
"We were very well represented in this very competitive festival," said Joan R. Fretz, district director of fine and performing arts. "There is only one orchestra at each level for all of Suffolk County, making it very competitive and prestigious. The students played extraordinarily well and we heard rave reviews from staff and parents in attendance."
The Huntington contingent included Woodhull fifth graders Max Robbins (viola) and Timothy Low (violin II) and sixth grader William Garfinkel (viola), J. Taylor Finley Middle School seventh graders Zak Perea (violin I) Holly Grabowski (viola) and Sam Latt (cello).
Huntington High School freshmen Monica Owen (violin I), Ashley Melgar (violin I), Christian Jamison (violin I), Jesse Feldman-Stein (viola), Katherine Gerdes (cello) and Benjamin Nikodem (bass) and Finley eighth grader Hailey Giordano (violin) participated in the junior orchestra.
Huntington sophomore Andrea Cerini (viola), juniors Jeffrey Sun (violin I), Andrew Ku (cello) and Oliver Lockwood (cello) and senior Joseph D'Esposito (violin I) participated in the senior orchestra.
The elementary and middle school (up to seventh grade) level festival was hosted by Longwood High School over a two-day period. A second festival for students in grades 8-12 was held at Ward Melville High School.
Huntington freshman Ashley Melgar was awarded one of only two Long Island String Festival Assn. scholarships presented. Ms. Fretz said the music department is "very proud" of Ms. Melgar. The scholarship provides a generous scholarship for private or summer study.