Huntington Seniors Presented with Music Awards

University of Delaware-bound Jacqueline Contino is this year’s recipient of the $1,000 Linda Shoemaker Blue Devil Scholarship as the senior “who best exemplifies the benefits of membership in the band on her personal growth during high school.” The honor was presented during the senior academic awards night held earlier this month in the Huntington High School auditorium.

Seniors walked away with nearly 20 different music medals, certificates, plaques, pins and financial scholarships after distinguishing themselves over the past four years.

Francesca Gray (University of Hartford) and Melanie Grossman (Bucknell University) are the recipients of the Huntington High School Award for Overall Contributions to Music. Joshua Stickell (Hofstra University), Christen King (SUNY College at Geneseo) and Rebecca Alligood (Hagerstown Community College) were each given the National Choral Award.

Francesca Gray also took home the John Philip Sousa Award, which was created in 1955 and honors the top student in the high school band. The award has become the pinnacle of achievement for band students. It was developed with the cooperation of Helen Sousa Albert and Priscilla Sousa, daughters of the famous composer and bandmaster.

Collin Richardson, a Stony Brook University-bound senior was presented with the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award for being an outstanding instrumentalist as demonstrated through superior musicianship, character and individual creativity.

The prestigious Vandersall Scholarship was awarded for the second time since it was created with Kevin Solomowitz (Johns Hopkins University) being this year’s recipient. The $500 scholarship is given in honor of Jean Hoerner Vandersall, who passed away on March 30, 2008.

An accomplished pianist and a member of the Manhattan School of Music’s faculty, Mrs. Vandersall maintained a very active teaching studio in Huntington and was an inspiration to her students. Mrs. Vandersall and her husband, Thornton sent three sons through the Huntington School District.

Duquesne University-bound Laura Ironman is the recipient of the National School Marching Band Award. Kevin Solomowitz and Jonathan Wood (Lehigh University) were presented with American Legion Music Award medals for having “contributed the most in the field of music.”

Matthew Beeby, who will attend Ithaca College in the fall, captured the Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award in recognition of being an exceptional band student and musician. Mr. Gilmore was a Civil War era bandleader and leading figure in 19th century American music, performing at high profile events such as presidential inaugurations, the U.S. centennial celebration, the dedication of the Statue of Liberty and many others.

Monica Casabona (Pace University) and Jacqueline Contino were each presented with the New York State Field Band Conference Award. It carries a $300 stipend. The Suffolk County Music Educators Association presented Joshua Stickell with a $100 scholarship after he was selected as an “outstanding senior” by music department members.

Jennifer Polster (Northeastern University) earned the James Doty Memorial Award, which is presented annually to a member of the high school orchestra who has demonstrated devoted service over three years. It carries a $100 stipend. Collin Richardson and Francesca Gray each received the Tri-M Music Leadership Award.

The Jane Sullivan Award for the best all-around choir student in the graduating class went to Anna Schiffmacher. The award carries a stipend of $100. Ms. Schiffmacher will begin studies at the Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the fall.

Adelia Witt, who is headed to the University of Maryland at College Park, earned the Evelyn Daniels Memorial Scholarship, which is presented to an outstanding member of the orchestra who has excelled as a performer and exhibited dedicated service to the orchestra. The award carried a stipend of $100.

Andrea Cerini and Lauren Bialkowski won $100 scholarships given by the Orchestra Parents’ Association, for their dedication and service. Ms. Cerini will attend Stony Brook University while Ms. Bialkowski is headed to CUNY-Baruch College.

Brianne Bennett, who will study in Crane School of Music at SUNY College of Potsdam, is the recipient of the Dorothea Waddell Award, which includes a $100 stipend. Ms. Bennett also earned the $100 New York State Council of Administrators for Music Education scholarship.

The Friends of Phil Memorial Scholarship was presented for the first time with Francesca Gray being the inaugural recipient. The award is named for Phil Antonnuci, an extraordinary musician and Huntington parent who devoted an enormous amount of time and energy volunteering on behalf of the high school music program.