Huntington Musicians Perform in Albany

The Huntington High School symphony orchestra traveled to Albany earlier this week to perform at the state capital as part of the New York State School Music Association’s “Music In Our Schools Month” series.

The group was the largest this event has had, with about 90 students performing from Huntington High School. “It was a combination of both orchestra and band students, playing three pieces: Fandango & Alborada by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Manhattan Serenade by Louis Alter and the Finale from the 1st Symphony by Johannes Brahms,” Huntington orchestra director James DiMeglio. “Each piece showcased the depth of talent of the ensemble as well as their ability to perform a variety of styles of music.”

The ensemble was invited to perform and was presented with a proclamation by State Assemblyman Steven Stern. Both the assemblyman and State Senator, Mario Mattera were in attendance at the performance

“This was an amazing experience for our students and allowed us to connect with our senator and assemblyman on a personal level,” Director Fine & Performing Arts Dr. Robert J. Wottawa. “They were moved and impressed with our children program; this is a testament to our dedicated and inspirational teachers!"

Mr. DiMeglio has been a teacher since 2011 and has been the orchestra director at Huntington High School since 2019. He holds a B.A. in Music from Stony Brook University as well as an M.A. in Music Education from Columbia University, Teacher’s College. He has also completed the necessary coursework at Stony Brook University for School District Leadership, on target to earn his administrator’s license. Mr. Di Meglio lives in New York City.

The musicians were energized by the trip to Albany. “The symphony orchestra had an amazing performance at this event and really went above and beyond,” Mr. DiMeglio said. “They had a tremendous sound and showcased just how incredibly talented they are.”