RHS Students Selected for Area All-State Band & Orchestra

RHS Students Selected for Area All-State Band & Orchestra

Six Rye High School students have recently been accepted into this year's Area All-State offerings. Five students are in ensembles, and one has been named as an alternate. The students, their instruments, groups, and teachers are listed below.

• Cole Pagen (Grade 11, Tuba/Sousaphone, HS Concert Band) – Teacher: Daniel Brown
• Tayga Vural (Grade 11, Cello, Alternate) – Teacher: Lizbeth Burrow
• Lucas Gordon (Grade 12, Violin, HS Symphony Orchestra) – Teacher: Lizbeth Burrow
• Thomas Chen (Grade 11, Cello, HS Symphony Orchestra) – Teacher: Lizbeth Burrow
• Philip Karajannis (Grade 11, Violin, HS Symphony Orchestra) – Teacher: Lizbeth Burrow
• Tito Diego Huyhua (Grade 10, Viola, HS String Orchestra) – Teacher: Lizbeth Burrow

Students are selected based on their participation in the NYSSMA Solo Festival. NYSSMA (the New York State School Music Association) is a professional organization for music teachers in New York that advocates for music education and hosts festivals and conferences for students, including the well-known Solo and Ensemble Festivals, where students perform for adjudicators to receive educational feedback and a score. 

Students who achieve a certain level and earn strong scores at their NYSSMA Solo Festival, while also participating in their school’s curricular ensembles, are eligible for consideration in Area All-State ensembles. Teachers submit applications and recommendations on behalf of students toward the end of each school year, and selected students are notified in the fall. Once chosen, students take part in three rehearsals, culminating in a final performance with other Area All-State musicians from across the region in late fall. This year’s concert will take place on October 30 at SUNY Purchase.

Tyler Schwirian, Rye High School’s Music Department Chair, said, “This recognition reflects the talent, passion, and dedication our students bring to their instruments every day, and we couldn’t be prouder of how they represent our school.”

Left to right: Lucas Gordon, Philip Karajannis, Thomas Chen, Tayga Vural, Cole Pagen, and Tieto Diego Huyhua