New Hyde Park Senior Holiday Concert Is the 'Highlight of the Whole Season'

For many, music serves as the soul of the holidays; familiar tunes, joyous melodies and uplifting words encourage a distinct sense of spirit and celebration. Resonating with this sentiment were the festive performances put on by over 300 New Hyde Park High School music students on Tuesday night at the senior high holiday concert.

"It's the highlight to the whole season," said music department chairperson, Nick Tarantola.

A vocal and instrumental showcase of old holiday favorites and original arrangements, the concert presented the hard work and months of dedicated preparation of tenth through twelfth grade students. "All groups are in action at the beginning of the school year," Tarantola said, adding, "they put in quite a bit of effort."

The senior high orchestra, under the direction of Linda Tomkiw, was the first to hit the stage. With bows rising and falling in unison, a powerful compilation of music from violins, cellos and violas vibrated throughout the auditorium. In the final number titled Christmas Festival, the orchestra put on a lively mix of old-time Christmas favorites including Joy to the World, Deck the Halls and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

For the chamber singers and senior high concert choir, which were both directed by Robert J. McKinnon, voices were the only instruments required. Along with a Hanukkah Song and several Christmas carols, the chamber singers brought the notoriously a cappella Carol of the Bells to life with a surprise performance that was unlisted in the program. The concert choir followed with their set of spirited holiday tunes, concluding with a fun medley from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Directed by Noel Monat, the senior high concert band from its flutes to its tubas rang out with gusto. After concluding their final number, the band remained on stage for a joint act with all of the night's performers; for the grand finale the orchestra, choir, and band led the way in the holiday sing-a-long, which is a New Hyde Park High School tradition.

Starting from the year 1955, Tarantola called up past graduates to join him at the helm; these people gradually walked down the auditorium aisles and took their places on the risers. Together they sang Deck the Halls, Oh, Christmas Tree, and Jingle Bells as the audience sang and clapped along.  The night ended with We Wish you a Merry Christmas.

"I liked singing the holiday sing-a-long; it's very united," said chamber singer and choir member Amanda Mihok, "I like when the alumni come up and sing. It's very nice."

Before the night began, Tarantola expressed his anticipation for the lively feedback and positive energy of the crowd. "We have a very supportive audience," he said, which proved true as the night wrapped up with whistles and a lengthy round of applause.

Among the crowd of family members and friends was Sue Gildein, who had come to see her son Steven sing in the concert choir. After years of coming to the show to watch her three children perform, this year's holiday concert took on a particular significance for Gildein, as it was her last since her son is a senior.

 "I love it; I come every year and they always do a nice job," said Gildein, who went on to praise all of the work put in by the music teachers and performance groups. "It keeps them out of trouble," she added of the time that students spend focusing on making the concert a success. 

For Tarantola, seeing the students' progress represented collectively in one night is, "very rewarding…we are all like one big happy family and it's nice when we get to perform together."