On March 14, two small chamber ensembles from Herricks High School participated in the 2-day Music for All National Chamber Music Festival, held in Indianapolis, Ind. Both ensembles were accepted to this prestigious national festival following a rigorous process in which a panel of renowned adjudicators evaluated their performance recordings. They selected 15 ensembles from across the country to attend, and the Herricks groups were the only ones selected from the state of New York.
The Herricks High School Clarinet Trio, comprised of seniors Julia Feldman (piano), Grace Kang (violin), and Ju Young Yi (clarinet), received high praise at the festival for their musical subtlety and mature level of artistry. The Herricks High School Cello Quartet, comprised of sophomores Dara Bao, Justin Koe, Kyle Pinzon, and Justin Yang, wowed the audiences with their nuanced and impassioned performance of works by Popper, Villa-Lobos, and a piece that was commissioned especially for them by young composer Bryan Wysocki.
At MFA, both ensembles were featured in performances at the Indiana Historical Society and received clinics and coaching sessions from renowned music pedagogues and members of the Indianapolis Symphony. They also had the opportunity to watch many other ensembles perform.
“The joy in a festival like this comes from the preparation the students put into their performance before we even get there,” said their teacher and chamber music coach, High School Orchestra Director Catherine Fish. “These students are able to put on world-class performances at national festivals because of the wonderfully collaborative way in which they work together on a daily basis at Herricks High School. I am so very proud to call these exceptional young people my students, and I look forward to watching them grow together even more in their musicianship throughout their lives.”
