March is music in education month across New York State and the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Board of Education was treated to several numbers from the various student choruses from its component buildings at the March 11 meeting at the New Hyde Park Road School.
There were two representative groups of the district choruses, one from Sharon Pesenti and the other from music teacher Vincentt Marquardt, highlighting the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) soloists.
Pesenti noted that she had 86 members of fourth, fifth and sixth graders from Manor Oaks and Hillside Grade as well as one third grader preparing for NYSSMA solo auditions on March 15.
“It gives them a chance to go beyond the classroom,” Pesenti said, “to explore advanced musical and vocal techniques.”
She also noted that at Hillside the teachers created bulletin boards for music in education month while at Manor Oaks the PTA has partnered with teachers to have a week-long celebration of musical events including a music trivia contest, poster contest, student performances during school hours, buttons and contest prizes.
Her groups performed four songs including “The Water is Wide,” an English folk song dating back to the 17th century, a 17th century Italian love song, “Tonight” from West Side Story and “Far from the Home I Know” from Fiddler on the Roof.
Marquardt noted that many of the students singing also play an instrument in either band or orchestra and will be performing vocal and instrumental solos at NYSSMA. His group of altos and sopranos from the New Hyde Park Road School and the Garden City Park School performed a number they had been practicing for Spring concert called “I am But a Small Voice.”
