PHOENIX – Three Phoenix Central School District students will perform alongside the most elite musicians in the state during an upcoming symposium.
Eighth-graders Mirabella Beerman, Alexis Yager and Isabella Whitehead were recently selected to represent the district at the New York State Band Director’s Association Spring Symposium in March. The honor, noted Emerson J. Dillon Middle School band teacher David Frateschi, is no small feat.
“Applications were sent in from every area of New York state,” Frateschi said. “That’s a lot of school districts, and only a select few districts/students were chosen.”
The selection takes into account the students’ resumes as well as their performances in the previous year’s NYSSMA solo festival. Each student noted they put in countless hours of practice to perform at such a high level.
“We all work really hard, so this is amazing to be recognized,” said Whitehead, who noted she is looking forward to the symposium.
The symposium will feature other elite student musicians on a variety of instruments. Beerman and Yager will play the French horn, while Whitehead will be featured on the tenor saxophone.
“It is quite an accomplishment for the students and their respective teachers/program to have such a high honor,” Frateschi said. “I am so proud of them, and I know they will do great things at the next level.”
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