Several students from Newburgh Free Academy were selected for prestigious music groups throughout the fall. These students will be performing in the upcoming NFA winter concerts.
Some students have been playing and singing as early as three years old, noting music is a means of self expression, a way to occupy their time and have something to look forward to. Others shared that music has been a way to learn more about themselves and to meet and relate to people.
Students are taught in these subject areas by music teachers Monica Antonelli-Guido and Thomas Swetz.
The Newburgh Free Academy Music Department recognized two students who were selected for All State Mixed Chorus and All State Orchestra. Manny Tejeda was selected as a Bass I for the All State Mixed Choir and Jasmine Ngo was selected as an alternate for the viola in the All State Orchestra. These two students prepared a Level 6 All State NYSSMA solo and performed at adjudication festival last spring. They scored in the top 1% in New York State and will travel to Rochester, NY to perform at the All State Music Festival this month.
In addition, top-scoring students prepared and performed a Level 6 or an All State Level 6 NYSSMA solo last spring at the NYSSMA solo adjudication festival. Their scores were compared with other music students within NYSSMA Zone 9 which encompasses Orange, Ulster, Rockland, Sullivan and Greene counties. These students went on to participate in last month’s NYSSMA Zone 9 Area All State Festival:
Treble Chorus:
Ester Almeyda, Soprano 1
Ariel Ramirez, Soprano 1
Mixed Chorus:
Inez O’Shea, Soprano 2
Julian Lamar, Tenor 1
Manny Tejeda, Bass 1
Orchestra:
Jasmine Ngo, Viola
Elizabeth Mahoney, Viola
Rory Flynn, Violin 2
