SOMS Middle School Archives

2010-2011 School Year

Marti Sweet with Matt Rotjan together in Intensive Workshop

On April 13, concert violinist, Marti Sweet, joined teacher Matt Rotjan in a string intensive workshop for the orchestras and string ensemble classes at South Orangetown Middle School. Ms. Sweet, a resident of Rockland, worked with students in grades 6 through 8 in their grade level ensembles, as well as the combined Chamber Orchestra. Each session engaged students in technical development which serve the musical ideas of the repertoire being studied.

Ms. Sweet began studying the violin at the age of four, and received her Bachelor and Master Degrees from the Juilliard School, where she was a student of Oscar Shumsky. She has been a member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre, and associate violinist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Ms. Sweet has also appeared and recorded with Barbra Streisand, Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett, Bernadette Peters, Carly Simon, Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Brittney Spears and many other world-renown artists. She has recorded chamber music for the Angel/EMI label and for New World Records.

In addition to performing, Ms. Sweet is a devoted teacher to young violinists and violists.
 

SOMS Students Perform Music Assembly at W.O.S.

On Friday, February 4, William O. Schaefer students were treated to an assembly given by the SOMS Band under the direction of Mrs. Janice Tocco and the Chamber Orchestra, led by Mr. Matthew Rotjan.

Students and teachers enjoyed hearing the SOMS Band play the Best of Journey: Don’t Stop Believin’, Separate Ways, Open Ways and Any Way You Want It – this took a lot of teachers back in time! The Chamber Orchestra played the beautiful “Allegro” by an Italian composer, J.H. Fiocco.

The band and orchestra demonstrated each instrument that they played. The students will be learning the families of instruments in the coming months and this was a great introduction!  Both groups inspired budding musicians to follow their dreams of playing instruments.

It was an awesome assembly that both the students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed.

All-County Music Festival

Congratulations to the 33 students selected to participate in the Intermediate All-County Music Festival from SOCSD!  Students will spend Friday afternoon and Saturday (March 4 and March 5) in rehearsal preparing for a Saturday evening concert. The Intermediate All-County Festival will be held at the Fieldstone Secondary School in Thiells. Participating students in grades 4, 5, and 6 will perform in either the choral, orchestra, or band ensembles. The following students from SOMS and CLE will be participating:

Grace B., Emily B., James B., Diana C., April C., Jane C., Olivia D., Caroline D., Erin D., Tara D., Ryan F., Liam F., Emily G., Elinor G., Sydney J., Paul K., Andrea K., Zoe K., Kayla L., Sarah M., Stefano M., Alexander M., Kelsey M., Camryn M., Bridget O., Laura O., Lauren S., Natalie T., Ian T., Maria T., Rose U., Danielle V., Sophia Z.
 

SOMS Music Students Experience Live Theatre at Westchester Broadway Theatre

Students involved in the SOMS Music Department enjoyed the thrills of live theater this January as approximately 185 student musicians in grades 6 through 8 from band, chorus, and orchestra, took a trip to the Westchester Broadway Theater in Elmsford. Once again, our students were commended by theater staff/administration and guests for outstanding behavior and involvement. This trip is possible due to the tremendous success of our annual Thanksgiving pie sale! Thank you to the SOCSD community for supporting our students and the Music Department. We look forward to another great trip next year!
 

2011 Junior All-County Festival

The SOCSD Music Department is proud to announce the acceptance of 48 students from SOMS and TZHS to the 2011 Junior All-County Festival. Students participating from the district will collaborate with others from across the county in January to present a concert at Clarkstown South High School. Students in Junior All-County are in grades 7, 8, and 9 and are selected for participation based on NYSSMA score, teacher recommendation, and school ensemble participation. Each student will participate in an ensemble with a guest conductor. We would like to congratulate the following students on their acceptance to the Festival:

Junior All-County Band:
Victor Armaniaco (percussion), Livia Bartels (trumpet), Keith Carreon (alto sax), Kyle Fuller (trombone), Paulina Gutkin (oboe), Amit Krishnan (percussion), Changseob Lim (baritone sax), Isabella Maestri (flute), Estella Muro (flute), Lukas Puris (clarinet), Carolyn Qian (flute), Zachary Reiter (precussion), Amy Zhang (flute), Ryan Zohar (bassoon)

Junior All-County Orchestra:
Alexandra Chin (bass), Joshua Dayson (violin), Emily Hayden (viola), Leonardo Ko (cello), Elena Kruse (violin), Andrew Lee (cello), Alexander Li (violin), Christopher Lovrin (cello), Kaila McKiernan (viola), Cordelia Mutter (cello), Sienna Perry (violin), Leonardo Hannah Murray (bass), Yuna Shin (violin), Alice Tao (violin), Brianna Yee (violin)

Junior All-County Chorus:
Julia Balm (soprano), Belinda Bell (alto), Cara Cicalo (soprano), Matthew Dominguez (baritone), Leda Ferranti (alto), Alissa Finn (soprano), Sonya Harrow (soprano), Andrew Heuler (baritone), Katie Kopac (alto), Elizabeth Lee (alto), Kaila McKiernan (alto), Sara McKiernan (soprano), Siobhan Monaghan (soprano), Molly O’Riordan (alto), Madelin Pereira (soprano), Benjamin Sanders (baritone), Aveena Sawyer (soprano), Dana Sokol (soprano), Emma Weiss (alto)
 

Annual Pie Sale!
As a fundraiser for the SOMS Music Department and the annual fieldtrip, SOMS students in grades 6, 7, and 8 sold a record amount of pies this year. With approximately 1,350 pies ordered, students and parent volunteers met in the cafeteria to organize and distribute apple, apple crumb, blueberry crumb, cherry, mince, pecan, and pumpkin pies. Money raised from the pie sale is used throughout the year to support department activities, such as our upcoming trip to Jekyll and Hyde.

Thank you to all students in band, orchestra, and chorus who helped with this fundraiser, and to all parents and community members for your encouragement and support of music in our schools!

 

Visiting Conductor Engages SOMS Music Students
On November 17, students in music teacher Mr. Matt Rotjan's Chamber Orchestra as well as his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade orchestras were treated to Conductor Jeff Grogan's expertise. An outstanding musician and music educator. Mr. Grogan used to teach in middle school, and is now the Education and Community Engagement Conductor for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Music Director and Conductor of the Greater Newark Youth Orchestra, the Music Director and Conductor of the Inter-School Orchestras of New York, and the Interim Director of Orchestral Studies at Montclair State University. The students participated in each of the lessons as Conductor Grogan dramatically engaged their levels of awareness and interest in the music they are working on.