2011 Outstanding Achievement Awards
Garden City High School
Matthew O’Connor
Band
Matt has been playing drums and percussion for 7 years, starting in 5th grade after switching from trombone. He continued to play in Middle School and joined the high school marching band in 8th grade. At the high school, he performed in the Wind Ensemble as a freshman, eventually becoming section leader. As a member of the Marching Band, he was the drum line section leader his junior and senior years. He also played with the pit band for school musicals and was a member of the Jazz Ensemble all 4 years of high school. Matt will be attending Tufts University in the fall where he hopes to continue performing.
Jan Gong
Orchestra
Jan has been playing music since she was four years old when she started the piano, and in third grade, she began to play the cello; since then, she has studied with Mary Park. She began participating in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) in sixth grade, and has performed with MYO in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Since fifth grade, she has consistently represented Garden City in the All-County and Long Island String Festivals, and last year, she received a perfect score on her All-State audition. She is the Principal Cellist of the High School Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra and plans to continue playing the cello in college.
Katherine Herbst
Vocal
Katherine has been an active participant in the Garden City High School’s music department for the past four years, singing in Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz, and playing her French horn in the Wind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble and pit orchestras. Her musical experience, however, did not begin there. She has been involved in the Garden City Community Theatre for twelve years and singing in the choir oat her church there for even longer. Her most recent achievements are the All-County Orchestra for French horn, and the All- State Mixed Choir as a Soprano singer. Katie would like to thank her teachers, Mr. Ludwig and Mr. McCrann for all their help and support along the way.
Garden City Middle School
Andrew Andron
Band
At the age of 3 years old, Andrew Andron was captivated by the sounds created when piano keys were struck. He began playing, self-teaching, and recreating whatever music he heard that was of interest to him. He started music lessons at age 6, and by age 9, found himself studying at a conservatory in Manhattan, where he gravitated towards playing jazz. Over the next years, Andrew pursued jazz through music school studies, jazz workshops, and his commitment to the music and the development of his won improvisational abilities.
By the age of 10, Andrew began catching the attention of music legends such as Barry Harris, and the late Les Paul, who invited Andrew to perform with them numerous times, at New York City’s most renowned jazz clubs. Andrew has enjoyed performing at nearly a dozen of New York’s most famous jazz and rock venues with world class and legendary musicians, and truly enjoys being on stage and playing for a music loving audience.
In addition to jazz piano, Andrew has spent the past two years studying classical piano. Among his classical performances, Andrew has enjoyed the opportunity on two occasions to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Another part of Andrew’s musical pursuit has been his involvement in the Garden City Middle School’s band and the Late Night Jazz Ensemble, which he has enjoyed being a member of for the past three years. Both of these bands have won numerous first place awards each of the past three years at the “Music in the Parks” competition where Andrew was awarded the honor of “Best Jazz Soloist” for three consecutive years. He has also been honored by inclusion in the 75th “All County Music Festival”, where he performed with a select jazz ensemble at the Tilles Center this past year.
Nicole Gemmiti
Electronic Music
Nicole Gemmiti is fourteen years old and has a twin sister named Allie, who has always been a huge part of her life. She has been singing for as long as she can remember. She has also been playing guitar for at least a year, and French horn for about five years. Music, poetry, and art in general are all of her favorite hobbies. She am looking forward to high school next year, and plans on working hard to achieve her goals academically and musically. She hopes to continue with music in college and beyond, and maybe pursue a career in the arts as she gets older.
Leslie Wann
Orchestra
Leslie Wann is a fourteen year old who will be entering 9th grade at Garden City High School in the fall. Leslie has enjoyed music since she was seven years old. She started playing piano when she was in 1st grade, and she continues to study with her teacher, Mrs. Beth Schwartz. Leslie began playing the viola when she was in 3rd grade. She now studies with Mrs. Laura Broverman. Leslie has played in NYSSMA for both piano and viola for the past six years. She has participated in All County and LISFA for 3 years playing the viola. Leslie has performed in Lincoln Center with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO). Next year she will be playing with the MYO Chamber Orchestra.
Jonathan Granville
Vocal
Jonathan Granville just completed eighth grade at Garden City Middle School. He was a member of the GCMS chorus, the Festival Chorus and the Amante Chorus. The Festival Chorus is a before school vocal group that meets weekly to prepare songs for the winter and spring concerts. The Amante Chorus performed with renowned tenor Michael Amante at Westbury Music Fair in the fall. Jonathan is a tenor in all three performing groups. In addition to singing, Jonathan is an accomplished pianist who recently completed the NYSSMA level four for piano. Jonathan could not have achieved his success without the help of his chorus teacher, Mrs. Menges.
Stewart School
Brandon Gong
Band
Brandon has been involved in music since he started playing the piano at age 5. In 2nd grade, he began to play the clarinet, and has loved the instrument ever since. Over the past four years, he has participated in the NYSSMA Music Festival, and this year, he completed Level 5 on the piano and Level 4 on the clarinet. In addition, he had the opportunity to represent Garden City in the 2011 All County Band. Brandon would like to thank Mr. Stanganelli, his Stewart School Band teacher, for his guidance and support throughout the past years.
KAYLAH BOZHURTIAN
Orchestra
Kaylah has been interested in the arts since she was six. She started playing the piano at seven with Mrs. Dottie Easton. In 3rd grade, Kaylah began playing the violin, and in 4th grade began private lessons. In 5th grade, she began voice lessons and recently was the lead in the Stewart School 5th grade opera. Kaylah has received an Outstanding score in various NYSSMA levels in piano, voice, and violin and was selected to the All County Music Festival for orchestra.
MADISON MULLAHEY
Vocal
Madison started singing professionally at 8 years old. She recently completed the Broadway First National Tour of Shrek The Musical. Madison performed 8 shows a week for 6 months playing the roles of Young Fiona, Young Shrek, and Grumpy. Prior to Shrek Madison performed in shows at the BroadHollow Theatre in Elmont. Most recently, Mrs. Grace prepared Madison to sing as the lead in the 5th grade opera at Stewart School. Madison has participated in NYSMA since 3rd grade receiving outstanding and excellent scores. Madison works with her vocal coach in NYC to prepare for future singing opportunities.
Stratford School
ALAN JIAN
Band
Alan Jian, a 5th grade student, received the award from Stratford Avenue School for Outstanding Achievement in Band. Alan started learning piano when he was five. He becomes interested in the clarinet after the fourth grade instrument class with Mrs. Glickman. He performed in 2011 All County Music Fair and was outstanding in NYSSMAs. Alan loves music and enjoys playing and sharing it with others.
Seungmin Woo
Orchestra
Seungmin Woo just completed fifth grade at Stratford Avenue School, received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Orchestra on Flag Day, June 14th, 2011.
Seungmin, also known as Mina became interested in music when she was five, and started taking piano lessons. She then began playing the violin in first grade, age six, and received a score of 100 for NYSSMA level 5 this year with Concerto No. 2 in G Major 1st Movement by Joseph Haydn. She always works very hard and practices often.
She attended to All County and LISFA (Long Island String Festival). She played as the assistant principal in the violin section in JSE of COS (Junior Symphony Ensemble in Children’s Orchestra Society) during 2009-2010. During the 2010- 2011 school year, she even got accepted to another orchestra, MYO (The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra). This year she will be returning to COS. Not only did she play in the orchestra at Stratford, Seungmin also participated in band with the clarinet.
Annalise LoBiondo
Vocal
Annalise LoBiondo, a 5th Grader at Stratford Avenue School was presented the award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music by the Garden City Friends of Music during the Annual Flag Day Award Ceremony at Stratford Avenue School held on June 14, 2011.
The award recognized Annalise for her singing talent in her role as Dorothy Gale during the Thursday, April 7, 2011 performances of the Wizard of Oz presented by the 5th Grade Class at Stratford Avenue School.
