Musicians tapped for music fest

  • Posted November 7, 2019
Student Themba Pieterse plays the trumpet

Congratulations to the outstanding Albany High School musicians selected to perform in the Suburban Council Music Festival orchestra.
They are:

  • Freshman Sydney Gaddy, cello
  • Junior Jean Keefe, viola
  • Senior Themba Pieterse, trumpet
  • Junior Maura Mulholland, violin
  • Junior Onovu Otitigbe, violin 
  • Senior Faith O'Toole, violin 
  • Junior Gloria Tucker, violin 

The festival will take place on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at Niskayuna High School. The event is free and open to the public.

Themba Pieterse also will represent Albany High at two other prestigious high school music festivals this year: Area All-State and Conference All-State.

Area All-State concerts feature outstanding music students from high schools throughout the Capital Region performing in band, chorus, jazz band or orchestra. Students are selected based on scores they received at NYSSMA auditions last spring. Pieterse will perform in the Area All-State Orchestra.

Pieterse also was selected from among thousands statewide to perform in the highly selective Conference All-State Symphonic Band. He also is the principal trumpet in both the Empire State Youth Orchestra and the Empire State Youth Wind Ensemble. He plays in Albany High’s wind ensemble and jazz band, and is a member of the Albany Marching Falcons.