At the November 16 Hicksville Board of Education meeting, Hicksville High School students Brandon Baade, Samantha Mason and Nisarg Shah were recognized for being selected for the NYSSMA All-State.
Baade and Mason will be attending the NYSSMA All-State Festival to be held in Rochester, New York on December 1 through 4 members of the All-State Symphonic Band. Baade will be playing the euphonium and Mason will be playing the piccolo and serving as an alternate for the flute. This is Baade’s second year being selected to be a member of an All-State ensemble. Fellow student Nisarg Shah has been selected as an alternate for the All-State Jazz Band for saxophone.
Participation at the All-State Festival is based on the results of student participation in the NYSSMA Solo Festival from the previous spring. All student performances were outstanding from the 2022 Spring NYSSMA Solo Festival. Baade’s All-State euphonium score was a perfect 100, earning him a spot in the All-State Symphonic Band. Mason’s All-State piccolo score was a perfect 100, earning her a spot in the All-State Symphonic Band. Her All-State flute score was a perfect 100, leading to her selection as an alternate for the All-State Symphonic Band. Nisarg Shah’s All-State jazz saxophone solo earned a score of a perfect 100, leading to her selection as an alternate for the All-State Jazz Band.
Students chosen to participate in the upcoming NYSSMA All-State Festival will spend the weekend in rehearsals with nationally known conductors working on high level music in preparation for concerts performed in the Eastman Theatre on the campus of the world renowned Eastman School of Music. These ensembles are composed of the most outstanding student musicians from around New York State.
Nisarg Shah and Samantha Mason were recognized on November 16 by the Hicksville Board of Education for being selected for NYSSMA All-State.
