Bravo! Nineteen virtuosos selected for music fest

Boy plays trumpet

Congratulations to the 19 middle- and high-school virtuosos who were selected to perform at the Suburban Council Music Festival in April!

The festival will be held April 28 and 29 at Ballston Spa High School. Students had to apply, audition or be recommended for the ensembles (sometimes all three, depending on the ensemble) to qualify.

Ten choral and two jazz students from Albany High School were chosen, as well as seven band members from Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School and William S. Hackett Middle School. They are:

High school chorus (under the director of Brendan Hoffman)

  • Isaac Allen, senior, bass
  • Timothy Berry, senior, bass
  • Julio Davis, junior, tenor
  • Celia Diefendorf, sophomore, alto
  • Nora Gordon, sophomore, soprano
  • Marita Johnson, senior, alto
  • Katie Myers, junior, soprano
  • William O’Neill, sophomore, tenor
  • Benjamin Quist, senior, bass
  • Julian Shepersky, sophomore, soprano

High school jazz (under the direction of John Halvorsen)

  • Conor Costello, senior, trumpet 1
  • Luyanda Pieterse, senior, trombone 2

Middle school band (under the direction of Jacob LaBate at Hackett and Jesse Rawson at Myers)

  • Azia Sky Barao, eighth grade, clarinet, Myers
  • Sidney Blanken, eighth grade, trumpet, Hackett
  • Abigail Dalland, seventh grade, clarinet, Hackett
  • Garrison Goldman, eighth grade, bassoon, Myers
  • Daniel Levy, eighth grade, oboe, Myers
  • Maria Marcou-O'Malley, eighth grade, flute, Myers
  • Eli Stanwicks, seventh grade, baritone/euphonium, Myers

Bravo!