This year, the music department has a lineup of guest musicians as enrichment for students in music ensembles. Ranging from professional musicians to college ensembles, these groups present an opportunity for students to see live performances and interact with higher-level musicians.
In December, The Jabberwocks made an appearance at Schreiber. They are the oldest all-male acappella group at Brown University, originally founded in 1949.
Jesse Weil (‘12) is a member of the group, and arranged for a performance in the auditorium.
“Jesse contacted us because the group was performing at the Brown alumni club in Manhattan,” said Mr. Pinelli.
“He asked if it would be cool if we performed for the kids, both as practice for their performance that night and as an opportunity for us to hear college acappella.”
The music department sent an email to music teachers to inform them of the performance and invite them to bring their classes. The performance was generally well-received by the students who attended.
“It was pretty interesting, because we never had an acappella group come and I bet a lot of people enjoyed it,” said sophomore Denise Hidalgo.
The Jabberwocks performed popular contemporary pieces as well as classics including, “Somebody that I Used to Know,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” and multiple Boyz II Men songs.
Band teacher Mr. Mark Brenner and Suffolk Community College clarinet professor Dr. Levana Cohen, are arranging for Dr. Richard Faria to speak with band students. He will be in Port Washington in early March to participate in a day of workshops and rehearsals with music students.
“It is beneficial for the students to hear from professional level musicians and those who are teaching at a college level because if students aspire to be musicians at college, they need to interact with the professors with whom they are going to work,” said Mr. Brenner.
“This way they have a better idea of colleges’ expectations for musicianship and preparation prior to auditioning for music schools or college music ensembles.”
In early April, choir and orchestra ensembles will work with Ithaca College Orchestra and Choir to prepare a performance at school. Additionally, students will go to Manhattan to attend the Ithaca College concert located at Lincoln Center.