Senior Pops Inter-Generational Concert is Delightful
Several hundred music lovers turned out last Sunday afternoon for a performance by the Long Island Senior Pops Orchestra in the Huntington High School auditorium. Now in its 12th year, the annual show never disappoints concertgoers.
The Senior Pops is a community orchestra comprised of talented musicians. The group has an exceedingly loyal following. One of the highlights of the show came when the Huntington High School orchestra joined the Senior Pops on stage for an inter-generational performance of several challenging pieces.
Every inch of the large stage was filled by the enormous combined orchestras. Students were prepped by high school orchestra teacher Lisa Leonardi. The teenagers and the senior citizens rehearsed once together the week of the concert under the direction of Senior Pops conductor Stephen Michael Smith, who is in his first year guiding the highly regarded group. He has conducted and performed in France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Russia and Poland. He is the music director for a Manhasset church.
"Mr. Smith was thrilled with the preparation and talent of our student musicians," said Joan R. Fretz, Huntington's director of fine and performing arts. "He thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with them."
With Mr. Smith and Ms. Leonardi sharing the podium during the section of the show that included the joint performance, the orchestras played a wide variety of light classics and popular tunes.
"Many of the Senior Pops performers commented on how well our students played and how delighted they were to work with them," Ms. Fretz said. "They love sitting next to them through the rehearsal and concert experience."
The Senior Pops members seem to have a special way with the younger musicians. "Our students are always so taken by the seniors' sense of humor, high energy and passion for music," Ms. Fretz said. "It's so wonderful for our students to see the seniors still actively involved in making music long after high school graduation. It's clear that music keeps you young! We look forward every year to greeting old friends and welcoming new members of the Senior Pops Orchestra."