Farmingdale High School Musicians Perform for Packed Audience

The Spring Concert was standing room only, as student musicians took the stage under directors Barbara Lieberman, Gina Pellettiere and Claire Zatorski.

Led by Pellettiere, the Daler brass band started off the show with a traditional song, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” featuring Thomas Gehlbach and Michael Zelazny on trumpet, Thomas Matson on French horn, Brian Entwistle on trombone, and Michael Tuzzolo on tuba.

The 27-member jazz band continued with “Moanin,” featuring Thomas Waszkiewicz on bari sax, “Come Fly with Me,” “El Fianal del Verano,” Johnny Mercer’s “Summer Wind,” featuring vocalist Megan Hassett, and Tower of Power’s “What Is Hip?” The final song also featured two fathers of band members -  James Holman on set and John Tuzzolo on guitar.

The symphonic band was next, performing the Civil War-inspired “American Salute” and John Phillip Sousa’s “The Liberty Bell,” under the direction of Lieberman. The inspirational, three-movement arrangement “Hymn Variants” featured solos by Victoria Phillips (clarinet), Courtney Sack (oboe), Joe Brussich (alto sax), and Mark Morales (trumpet), and drum major Marisa Esposito was the guest conductor. The 110-member band also performed these difficult Level V pieces at NYSSMA and earned a Silver award.

The 63-member women’s chorus sang the Buddhist mantra “Gate Gate” and Mendelssohn’s “Laudate Pueri,” as well as Wicked’s “For Good,” which featured soloists April Badalucco, Samantha Crystal, and Rebecca Soluri and the spiritual “Go Down Moses,” with solos by Dana Perillo, Megan Palagonia, and Brianna Iannello.

Pellettiere’s 71-member wind ensemble closed the show with the energetic “American Faces,” psalm-based “Sketches on a Tudor Psalm” and traditional “A.B.A. Symphonic March.” The last song was conducted by three senior drum majors James Andersen, Marisa Esposito, and Valedictorian Emily Dorso. The wind ensemble earned a Level VI (the highest) Gold with Distinction award at NYSSMA.

Information and photos courtesy of Carol Block.