2015 Outstanding Achievement Awards
GARDEN CITY HIGH SCHOOL
Christina Locopo
Outstanding Achievement in Band
In 2nd grade Christina watched her first 5th grade band concert. She became fascinated with the flute and music ever since. She started learning the flute in 4th grade and quickly worked her way up to being first chair in 4th and 5th grade. In high school, she joined the marching band and played with the older students which inspired her to work hard. She watched the wind ensemble perform in her first winter concert at the high school and immediately wanted to join them. She found a private teacher and began to participate in NYSSMA. She auditioned and was selected for the wind symphony in 10th grade, which was a year of rapid improvement for her. She moved up to wind ensemble the following year. She also became the flute section leader in marching band. By her senior year she was the principal piccolo player in wind ensemble. She is honored to receive the Friends of Music Outstanding Achievement Award for Band.
Leslie Wann
Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra
Leslie Wann started off her musical career playing the piano at the age of seven. At the age of nine she began to play the viola. From fifth grade through high school Leslie has represented Garden City at both All County and LISFA festivals. In 2013, Leslie participated in the All State String Orchestra. Leslie has participated in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra for four years, progressing from the string orchestra to the principal orchestra. This is the third time that Leslie has won the Friends of Music Award for Orchestra, and she is also the recipient of the Friends of Music Scholarship.
Nicole Gemmiti
Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music
Nicole Gemmiti has been involved in the choral program all four of her years at Garden City High School, and has also been involved in Vocal Jazz. In addition, she has participated in the Nassau All-County Music Festival for voice the past two years. Nicole also played french horn in band class throughout middle school and high school, and performed in school musicals. She
has performed at several open mics across the island as well, not only singing but playing other instruments, such as guitar, piano and ukulele. Music is her passion and she is greatly looking forward to furthering her education at Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall.
GARDEN CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Zoe Heath
Outstanding Achievement in Band
Zoe was very excited to receive the Outstanding Achievement in Band Award from the Garden City Friends of Music. She began playing the flute in the 4th grade band at Stewart School. Prior to that she took two years of piano lessons and participated in the NYSSMA Festival. Zoe also participated in Music in the Parks as a member of the Garden City Middle School’s eighth grade band. She has received no formal flute lessons outside of Garden City School District’s Music Program. In addition to practicing her band music, she enjoys playing music by ear including songs by her favorite bands.
Charles Cody
Outstanding Achievement in Electronic Music
Charles Cody began his interest with the saxophone in the third grade band at Stewart School. At the Garden City Middle School he was in the band in 6th Grade. He joined the Electronic Music program for 7th and 8th Grades. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award for his participation in it. He currently plays with Motown tribute and rock bands led by his guitar instructor. He plays acoustic, rhythm and lead electric guitar and has written his own songs. His inspirations are his family, his music teacher, Dave Ice, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Allman Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Fall Out Boy and other greats. He will be attending the Battle of the Bands summer camp this summer.
Garrett Treanor
Outstanding Achievement in Electronic Music
Garrett’s love of music began with his piano lessons at the age of five at the Garden City Music Academy. He joined the Men and Boys Choir at the Cathedral of the Incarnation at eight years of age, singing classical and choral music. Garrett played clarinet in the Stratford Elementary School Band before taking Electronic Music and Chorus in the middle school. Since the summer before 6th grade, he has attended a sleep-away camp known as the Montréal Boys Choir Course. He is self-taught at guitar, and usually uses a Fender Stratocaster and an Epiphone SG-Pro guitar. His inspirations include punk bands such as Sum 41, Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Anti-Flag. He is currently a member of the Men’s Choir and sings year round as a bass.
Alexandra Michael
Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra
Alexandra Michael, an 8th grader at the Garden City Middle School, was honored to receive the Friends of Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra. Alexandra’s musical career began at a young age. She started voice lessons at five and at age six, Alexandra began studying piano. Her orchestral journey began in the 3rd grade when she was introduced to the violin at Stewart School. She then began taking private lessons as well. When she arrived at the middle school, she worked under the direction of Mrs. Gullotta. Alexandra has participated in NYSSMA for both piano and violin. She earned the title of concert mistress in the 8th grade orchestra concert. Alexandra plans to continue playing violin in the high school orchestra.
Elizabeth Fetherston
Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music
Elizabeth is honored to receive the Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music Award. She loves to sing and while at the Garden City Middle School she participated in Chorus and Festival Chorus. Elizabeth was in the Music Box Players’ productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, and Beauty and the Beast. Her favorite role was Madame De La Grande Bouche, the high belting opera singer in Beauty and the Beast. Elizabeth also performs with The Broad Hollow Theatre Company. Some of her favorite roles have been the lead in Annie and Cinderella in Into the Woods. Elizabeth participated in the NYSSMA festival where she received an A+ rating and also sang with the All County Chorus. Elizabeth studies voice at The Music Academy of Garden City and is very excited to be starting Garden City High School in the fall and continuing on her musical journey.
STEWART SCHOOL
Emma Rose Nagler
Outstanding Achievement in Band
Fifth grade student Emma Rose Nagler is honored to receive the Outstanding Achievement in Band Award for Stewart School. Emma Rose has played the clarinet for the past three years and has greatly enjoyed participating in the band, jazz band and marching bands at Stewart School under the direction of Mr. Toomey. In January, she was selected for the Fifth Grade All County Band and completed NYSSMA level 3 this past spring. In addition to the clarinet, Emma Rose has been studying piano for the last six years at the New World Music Center and recently completed NYSSMA level 4 in piano. She looks forward to joining the band next year at the Garden City Middle School.
Aidan Wu
Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra
Aidan Wu, a 5th grader from Stewart School, is proud to receive the Friends of Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra. He started playing violin at age four. Besides private instruction, he enjoyed playing in the school orchestra under Mr. Albani the past 3 years. He was selected to perform at the All County Music Festival and Long Island String Festival this past January. He is looking forward to continuing playing violin in the middle school.
MaryKate Logler
Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music
MaryKate is 10 years old and just completed fifth grade at Stewart School. She is passionate about singing and also plays the cello and piano. MaryKate has been taking voice lessons since she was seven years old. She received a perfect score on her NYSSMA vocal exam and was granted a place in the All County Choir which performed in January 2015. One of the highlights of her last year at Stewart School was her lead role as Violetta in their production of La Traviata. MaryKate has said that to her, music is like sunshine on a rainy day and she can’t imagine her life without it! She is very proud to receive the Garden City Friends of Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music.
STRATFORD AVENUE SCHOOL
Corinne Lafont
Outstanding Achievement in Band
Corinne Lafont began studying piano in 1st grade. Although she enjoyed playing, she was not particularly drawn to music. All of that changed when Ms. Glickman, Stratford’s band director, offered her the opportunity to try out different instruments. The clarinet was a perfect fit. In 4th grade she played a level 3 piece at NYSSMA and was thrilled to be the only Stratford student selected to participate in the All County Music Festival. This year she played a level 4 piece at NYSMMA and hopes to be selected again for the All County Festival. Although the clarinet remains her primary instrument, she recently started playing the saxophone. She is very appreciative for Ms. Glickman’s guidance, as well as the support of her family and friends.
Audrey Lau
Outstanding Achievement in Orchestra
Audrey Lau received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Orchestra from Stratford School. Audrey’s first instrument was piano which she started when she was six years old. Then in 3rd grade she started playing the violin under the direction of Mr. Albani. She scored a perfect score in NYSSMA and was selected to play in All-County and LISFA this year. Her desire for violin grew and she later joined the first Chamber Orchestra at Stratford. Audrey enjoys using music to bring smiles to the faces of the elderly and plays in the nursing home with a small ensemble consisting of a few children from her church on a quarterly basis. Audrey’s other hobbies include dancing, singing, and gymnastics.
Nicholas DeIeso
Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Music
At a young age Nicholas exhibited a strong love for music. By the age of five, he learned to play the drums and piano and in 5th grade he added the trumpet at Stratford Elementary School. Additionally, for the past four years Nicholas has sang and performed in several productions. Recently, he starred in the 5th grade play, Willy Wonka, in the lead role of Willy. He also had several lead and singing roles in Broadway Bounds production of Fractured Fairytales. He competes in Regional and National competitions through Access Broadway where he came in first in the acting category. Nicholas is in All County Chorus and was recently accepted to the Metropolitan Youth Chorus.
