Huntington Musicians Play at All-County Festival
Seven Huntington High School musicians were selected for the 52nd All-County Music Festival, joining 600 other top musicians from across Suffolk at a professional level concert held in the Northport High School auditorium.
The prestigious event was co-sponsored by the New York State Council of Administrators of Music Education and the Suffolk County Music Educator’s Assn. It included Huntington’s Amanda Ho (violin), Kieran McCarthy Fell (flute), Caitlin Etri (flute), Lena Freed (double bass), Keith Kirkpatrick (French horn), Evan McCann (tuba) and Ariel Wertheim (tenor).
“The students rehearsed and performed under the leadership of nationally renowned conductors,” said Joan R. Fretz, Huntington’s director of fine and performing arts. “They played compositions that some professional organizations would not even attempt, due to the demands of the parts.”
Four members of the Huntington contingent will advance to the All-State Music Festival in Rochester later this week. The All-State honorees include Mses. Ho, McCarthy and Freed and Mr. Wertheim. Ms. Etri is an All-State alternate. The state festival is held in conjunction with the NYSSMA’s annual conference.
“This festival includes only the very top musicians from across the entire state,” Ms. Fretz said. “Participation in the state festival requires a perfect or near perfect score on a Level VI NYSSMA solo. Judges list competing students in a proficiency list at each NYSSMA festival around the state during the spring. The very top students on the proficiency list are then invited to attend the state conference. The competition is so intense that some students with perfect scores do not even get selected. Huntington is very proud to have four students, some of whom are only juniors, participating in the state conference performing ensembles.”
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