NYSSMA Finalists

In recent news, some of our students here at Harborfields High School have been recognized for their extraordinary achievements and excellence in music. Ty Ellenbogen has been recognized for his Alto Saxophone Alternate and Instrumental Jazz, Olivia Freiberger for her Soprano and Treble Chorus and Angeline Miraglia for her Alto and Mixed Chorus performance.

The New York State School Music Association is the New York affiliate of the National Association for Music Education has recognized our students. NYSSMA is a professional organization that evaluates student musicians. There are different levels of the evaluation and if you do well enough at the state or county level, you can receive higher awards for All-State. It is very competitive and prestigious.

These students know first hand the time and hard work that goes into these performances and evaluations. Ty Ellenbogen, one of the students acknowledged, explained, “It’s just such a rewarding experience to dedicate so much time into your passion and have that work pay off. Of course, there is a level of self-gratification that you get as a musician simply because you love your craft.” 

These individuals devote so much of their free time to music and their studies. They prepare their pieces for months on end and it all comes down to one day, one performance in front of a random judge for evaluation. If you have ever watched any of them perform, whether it be at one our seasonal concerts or school plays, you can see how committed they are to the art and to their musical studies.

While NYSSMA has canceled its annual Winter Conference for 2020, our All-State students will still have an opportunity to participate in virtual ensemble performances. During our conversation, Ty went on to explain,  “I’m honored to be recognized and look forward to working with some incredible musicians. It’s always such an amazing environment to be surrounded with other people who share your passion; that’s one of my favorite things about this whole process.”

Please join us in congratulating these devoted and extremely talented students, their supportive families and their music teachers who have helped them excel. Their hard work and passion for music shouldn’t go unrecognized!