Seventeen Sag Harbor School District student musicians were selected to represent the district in this year’s Hampton Music Educators Association Music Festival. The event brings together educators and students from all around the East End of Long Island for the opportunity to practice and challenge a shared passion for musical performance.
HMEA selects students from East End districts each year from recommendations by their teachers. Lizzie Hallock, Ashley Buestan Perez, Chloe Lucyz, Dylan Hepburn, Adam Drohan, and Chad Federico were the Pierson High School students who were selected. Evie Berkoski, Gabby Hugo, Shoshana Sobey, Emily Drohan, and Carmen McCulley represented Pierson Middle School alongside Olivia Quinn, Savannah Romano, Mia Milazzo, Vivienne Crutchfield, Georgie Finelli, and Jack Fuer.
HMEA was created to provide high-quality musical performance opportunities to the students on the East End of Long Island, according to the organization. The students and educators hail from Amagansett, Center Moriches, Mattituck-Cutchogue, Montauk, Riverhead, Sag Harbor, and Shelter Island school districts just to name a few.
“This event exposes the children to more challenging music, a room full of dedicated musicians, larger ensembles, other teaching styles, and new repertoire,” said Deanna Locascio, music coordinator for the Sag Harbor District and Sag Harbor Elementary music teacher. “The students learn to work hard, focus and they feel the reward at the end when the concert is phenomenal!”
This year, Suzanne Nicoletti, Pierson MS/HS chorus teacher, William Fujita, Pierson MS/HS orchestra teacher, and Austin Remson, Pierson MS/HS band teacher all helped prepare the students. “These students are not only talented but they are also dedicated. All the selected students gathered and participated in three lengthy rehearsals, and then put on a concert on the final weekend. We are so proud of our Pierson students who were selected to represent our school,” said Locascio.
Photo caption: Pierson Middle School and High School students represented the Sag Harbor School District in this year’s Hampton Music Educators Association Music Festival with two successful concerts.