Thirteen superlative East Islip student-musicians were recently selected to attend the Long Island String Festival Association’s annual ensemble festival alongside the other top orchestra students from Suffolk County. Each student was selected through a rigorous process that included participation in NYSSMA, teacher recommendations and the LISFA selection committee.
Selected from East Islip were Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School fifth grader Isabelle Vincent (violin); East Islip Middle School sixth graders Payton Aparicio (viola), Joe Carpenter (bass), Angelina Hannon (bass), Patricia Kasten (bass), Rebecca Pechin (cello) and Sofia Salvia (bass), and eighth graders Lucas Massa (bass) and Taegan Tantillo (violin); and East Islip High School students Zeynep Oztas (violin), Olivia Quintero (viola), Cormac Zusmer (cello) and Peyton Zusmer (bass).
During LISFA weekend, student-musicians participate in two rehearsals and a concert performance. Fifth through eighth grade students rehearse during Jan. 24-26, culminating with a performance at Elwood Middle School, while high school students rehearse during Jan. 10-12 and perform at Hauppauge High School.