'20-'21 News
Multi-Chapter Panel Event (4/23/2021)
On Friday, April 23rd, the Herricks High School Tri-M chapter, along with the Cardozo High School Tri-M chapter, collaborated together in a panel event during which panelists from both Herricks High School and Cardozo High School would be answering questions about their musical experiences before and during the pandemic, as well as where they (the panelists) see themselves with music in the future. Stanley Chen, Timothy Kim, and Ved Dattaray represented the Herricks High School Tri-M chapter one of the moderators, and two of the panelists respectively. The event lasted around an hour and thirty minutes, and was the second multi-chapter event that Herricks High School Tri-M was a part of! We thank the Cardozo High School Tri-M Chapter for hosting the event and look forward to working with them in the future!
Article by Ved Dattaray
Article by Ved Dattaray
HHS Musical: Edges (4/16/2021, 4/17/2021 and 4/18/2021)
From April 16th to April 18th, Herricks High School hosted a third musical named Edges. The musical is a song cycle about the coming of age, growth, anf self discovery of people mostly in their 20s. The show starred actors Christian Chung, Leonardo Gomez, Allison Greenwood, Maddie LaSala, Sonya E. LiCalzi, Lily Nguyen, Emmet O’Brien, Joe Puvogel, Logan Rein, Jordan Rizzo, Alyssa Samuels, Audrey Santsus, and Eres Yang. The Pit Orchestra included Jordan Abraham on the drums and Daniel Navy on the bass under the direction of Mr. Stickley. The production was amazing and the Herricks Community is incredibly proud of these actors and their amazing performances throughout the three days!
Article by Ved Dattaray
Article by Ved Dattaray
Herricks Idol (4/9/21)
Despite the obvious restrictions of COVID-19, Herricks Tri-M found a way to break through these barriers by continuing their 17-year long tradition of Herricks Idol. Herricks Idol’s 17th Season was live-streamed on Friday, April 9. Guest judges Assistant Principal Mr. Frisone, Director of ELA Mr. Imondi, and Herricks 2015 Alumnus and previous Herricks Idol Winner Mr. Andrew Greiche gave valuable insight and comments to the ten selected contestants. Aaron Chang (12) kicked off the evening by singing Fallen Kingdom, and was followed by Mehakpreet Kaur (12) singing Diamonds. Jonathan Xiang (11) continued by singing Break My Heart Again, Zinat Rad (9) followed through with When I Look At You, and Leonardo Gomez (11) signaled the halfway point of the evening by singing You’ll Be Back. Casey Meng (10) picked up where Leonardo left off by singing Love Like You, Tristan Surajbali (9) continued with Best Friend, and Alyssa Samuels (12) followed by singing Never Enough. Andrew Kim (12) rocked it on the guitar with Make Up, and Alexis George finished off the first round with Someone Like You. Emcees Kyle Pinzon, Sridevi Mahesh, Aarya Agarwal, and Aditya Lodha provided brief skits between performances that made the whole night livelier.
The three judges selected their four finalists after listening to each contestant. Casey, Tristan, Alyssa, and Andrew were selected to perform in the last round. Kudos to all the contestants for their excellent performances!
These performers were able to sing their whole songs for the final round, showcasing their effort and talent. The finalists each wowed the live audience, and made the decision all the more difficult. A live poll was created after the final performance, and audience members were invited to select their favorite finalists of the evening. In the meantime, three guest singers took center stage. Herricks Idol Season 16 Winner Kaitlin Abraham (10) sang Oceans, and Herricks Idol Season 16 Winner Jordan Liao followed by singing Grow As We Go. Guest judge Andrew Reiche concluded the night with In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.
After this brief intermission, the winners of the poll were announced. Casey Meng and Tristan Surajbali were crowned as the winners of Herricks Idol Season 17! Congratulations to Casey and Tristan, and congratulations to all contestants! Herricks Idol served as a beacon of hope in an otherwise troubling school year, and showcased the talents present at Herricks. Thank you to Tri-M for organizing such an amazing event in an otherwise complicated year, and thank you to all participants in Herricks Idol Season 17!
Article by Liam Tan
The three judges selected their four finalists after listening to each contestant. Casey, Tristan, Alyssa, and Andrew were selected to perform in the last round. Kudos to all the contestants for their excellent performances!
These performers were able to sing their whole songs for the final round, showcasing their effort and talent. The finalists each wowed the live audience, and made the decision all the more difficult. A live poll was created after the final performance, and audience members were invited to select their favorite finalists of the evening. In the meantime, three guest singers took center stage. Herricks Idol Season 16 Winner Kaitlin Abraham (10) sang Oceans, and Herricks Idol Season 16 Winner Jordan Liao followed by singing Grow As We Go. Guest judge Andrew Reiche concluded the night with In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.
After this brief intermission, the winners of the poll were announced. Casey Meng and Tristan Surajbali were crowned as the winners of Herricks Idol Season 17! Congratulations to Casey and Tristan, and congratulations to all contestants! Herricks Idol served as a beacon of hope in an otherwise troubling school year, and showcased the talents present at Herricks. Thank you to Tri-M for organizing such an amazing event in an otherwise complicated year, and thank you to all participants in Herricks Idol Season 17!
Article by Liam Tan
Multi-Chapter Virtual Game Night (3/26/21)
A multi-chapter event took place on March 26 with Tri-M chapters from Herricks, Syosset, GNS, and Jericho. Together, the chapters hosted a game night to connect with and learn about their fellow Tri-M chapters on Long Island. Many members from each chapter came out to play some exciting Kahoot games that challenged them on various music-related topics from general music facts to Tri-M history. Although chapters could not convene in person due to COVID restrictions, through this Virtual Game Night, members from different chapters were able to connect with each other and create new friendships while still tapping into their competitive side. The Virtual Game Night was also the first cross chapter event in the 2021 school year, so we were very glad to hear that it had been an entertaining experience for all chapters who came, including us!
Article by Genesis Kang
Article by Genesis Kang
Nyssma Recital (3/4/2021 and 3/11/2021)
With the start of 2021, Herricks Tri-M started their mentorship program, where members of the honor society could sign up to provide students in our district’s middle school and elementary schools (Denton Avenue, Center Street, and Searingtown) with private lessons. Due to the vast amount of instruments played by different members of Herricks Tri-M, students in need of private lessons were easily matched up with members of the honor society, and we are glad to see the immense progress our future musicians are making!
Article by Ved Dattaray
Article by Ved Dattaray
Mentorship (1/1/2021)
With the start of 2021, Herricks Tri-M started their mentorship program, where members of the honor society could sign up to provide students in our district’s middle school and elementary schools (Denton Avenue, Center Street, and Searingtown) with private lessons. Due to the vast amount of instruments played by different members of Herricks Tri-M, students in need of private lessons were easily matched up with members of the honor society, and we are glad to see the immense progress our future musicians are making!
Article by Ved Dattaray
Article by Ved Dattaray
NYSSMA/All-State Session (12/21/2020)
On Monday, December 21, 2020, Herricks Tri-M hosted a Nyssma/All-State session to prepare and motivate students to participate in the upcoming Nyssma festival. Among many things, the Tri-M board talked about how to practice, how to choose a piece, as well as how to record a solo, as the festival would be online this year. At the end of the session, Mr. Stickley, Mrs. Birke, and Mrs. O'Hanlon (the band, orchestra and chorus teachers at the high school) gave additional advice on how students should prepare based on the music groups that they are a part of at school.
Article by Ved Dattaray
Article by Ved Dattaray
Herricks HS Virtual Winter Orchestra Concert (12/16/20)
On December 16 at 7:30 P.M., the Herricks Music Department held a virtual winter concert featuring the Freshmen, Concert, and Chamber Orchestra. Despite the orchestras not being able to play in person due to COVID restrictions, the concert was still on! The concert opened with the Stars Spangled Banner performed by cellist Kyle Pinzon, followed by the orchestras’ performances. The freshmen orchestra performed first with Serenade No.9, “Posthorn” Finale by W.A. Mozart. The chamber orchestra performed next with Serenade, Op. 10 for String Trio Scherzo by Erno Dohnanyi (featuring violin soloist Genesis Kang), and At the Purchaser’s Option by Rhiannon Giddens (featuring violin soloists Chiara Tan, Jovana Lau, Kailey Simons, Kayla Sohn, Genesis Kang, Stephanie Chan, Ashley Lam, and Giuliana Fusco, cello soloists Justin Yang and Kyle Pinzon, and viola soloist Jeylin Lee). The concert orchestra then proceeded to their performance of Shine You No More by Rune Tonsgaard Sorensen featuring violin soloist Madeleine Wang. The final work, Scenes From Swan Lake by P.I. Tchaikovsky, was performed by the freshmen and concert orchestra. The Introduction to Act IV was performed by the 9th grade Grade Cohort B Hybrid students featuring harp soloist Jocelyn Chiu, violin soloists Peter Aliprandis, Tyler Lau, and Tristan Surajbali, viola soloist Sasha stern, and cello soloists Isabella Bacich and Ryan Lo. Dance of the Cygnets was performed by the freshmen and concert orchestras featuring ballet dancers MaryAgnes Oh and Olivia Teng. And the Finale from Act IV was conducted by student teacher Ms. Karly Masters and performed by hybrid students in the freshmen and concert orchestras. The concert was no doubt a huge success, and we hope that it helped people experience the joy of making music again. We also thank Mrs. Birke, the orchestra teacher at Herricks, who edited the entire concert video! Thank you to everyone else who made the virtual concert possible, and we hope the community enjoyed our performance!
Article by Genesis Kang
Article by Genesis Kang
HHS Musical: Clue (11/21/20)
On November 21 at 2:00 P.M., Herricks HS’s Theater team premiered their production of Clue. The show was based on a 1985 Paramount movie that resembled a classic Hasbro board game and involved a murder mystery that brought humor and thrill to the table. The story goes like this: six guests gather for an unusual dinner party when their host is suddenly found dead. All become suspects with each consecutive murder...Despite the unusual circumstances due to the pandemic, the theater team forged on while practicing social distancing and gave an incredible performance with their production, Clue! Clue was shared on Broadway on Demand for the community to view, and we applaud the entire theater team for their hard work and wonderful production!
Article by Genesis Kang
Article by Genesis Kang
Disney Porch Music Series (11/18-12/16)
In such unusual times, Herricks Tri-M sought to instill hope and joy in the school and community, so the Disney Porch Music Series was launched on November 18th. The series consisted of weekly virtual performances from our talented musicians covering an extensive selection of Disney music. From the Disney opening theme to Frozen 2, you name it! These performances were shared on various social media platforms and have been receiving much love! We are very glad to see that the Disney Porch Music Series is spreading positivity throughout the Herricks community and cannot be more amazed at the power of music. We want to thank all the Tri-M members, the Tri-M Board, and Mrs. Arnold who made this project possible, and we thank everyone who enjoyed and listened to these performances! Most importantly, we hope it brought healing and joy to the members of our community!
To view the Disney Porch Music Series, visit the Herricks Instagram Page:
- https://www.instagram.com/herrickspublicschools/?hl=en
Article by Genesis Kang
To view the Disney Porch Music Series, visit the Herricks Instagram Page:
- https://www.instagram.com/herrickspublicschools/?hl=en
Article by Genesis Kang
Initiate Party (8/28/20)
On Friday, August 28, Tri-M hosted a virtual initiate party for our new members. Normally, the initiate party would be held at Christopher Morley Park with food and various activities. However, prioritizing the safety and health of attendees was necessary and led us to host a virtual initiate party on Zoom. The party began with the introductions and greetings of the Tri-M Board through a pre-made video that all the board members took part in (special thanks to our wonderful co-president, Rhea Rasquina, for putting the video together). In the video, each member introduced themselves and explained the various components of Tri-M, along with several icebreaker questions. Afterwards, the initiates and the board members were split up into breakout rooms according to their ensemble. In these breakout rooms, board members and initiates were able to get closer with one another, learn more about Tri-M, and just have fun. Since the initiate party this year was virtual and not in person, there were several setbacks. However, through the efforts of Ms. Arnold, the board, and the initiates, the Initiate Party was, nonetheless, a memorable experience!
Video Link: https://youtu.be/sLnzj3SIAFM
Article by Genesis Kang
Video Link: https://youtu.be/sLnzj3SIAFM
Article by Genesis Kang
Jazz Combo Rehearsal (8/1/20)
On a Saturday afternoon, the sun glistened brightly while someone across the street stuck their head out the window, wondering where the sounds were coming from. If anything, the sounds may have passed as a neighbor playing their music too loudly or perhaps an incredibly loud radio. However, it was actually the sound of Herricks Jazz musicians! On August 1, a group of students in the Herricks Jazz Combo gathered to rehearse some great music, and of course, in a socially distanced environment. These students were Dongjoo Kim (electric guitar), Arjun Talaptra (drums), Alannah Egan (trumpet), and Timothy Kim (alto saxophone). They rehearsed a variety of well known jazz songs including “I Mean You” by Thelonius Monk, “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham, “Oleo” by Sonny Rollins, and “Yesterday” by the Beatles. After being unable to play together for nearly five months, it was a refreshing experience for these students to play live and make music with each other. Despite the challenges that quarantine set for our musicians, we are glad to see that our members are seeking out safe opportunities to incorporate music into their lives even in the summer! We miss all our members and we hope everyone stays safe and well!
Article by Genesis Kang and Ved Dattaray
Article by Genesis Kang and Ved Dattaray
Jazz Night (6/12/20)
On Friday, June 12, the Herricks Jazz Band held a Virtual Jazz Night. Jazz Night occurs every year, and it never fails to demonstrate the flair in our musicians. Although Jazz Night could not be held in person, the virtual performance was of great virtuosity nonetheless. Jazz Night began with the Blue Band performing “I’m Down With That” by Mark Taylor and “Evidence” by Thelonious Monk, arranged by John Clayton. “I’m Down With That” featured soloists Andrew Kim on guitar, Stanley Chen on tenor saxophone, Brendon Lau on bass, Ved Dattary on drums, and last but not least, Marcus Printup on the trumpet. Marcus Printup is a jazz musician at Lincoln Center, and he has recorded several records of his own, as well as with famous singers and filmmakers. His musical journey has been an inspiration to many aspiring musicians, and we were extremely honored to have him perform with the Blue Band right here at Herricks! The next song, “Evidence”, is a song that has been performed on prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Several musicians were featured in this piece, including Timothy Lai on the vibraphone, Marcus Printup on the trumpet, Brendon Lau on the bass, and Timothy Kim on alto saxophone. The Blue Band finished it off with “Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing” originally sung by the American singer, Tori Kelly. This performance was put together during quarantine, and big thanks to Dr. Taylor for working so hard to put these virtual performances together. The Blue Band definitely nailed it in all three of their performances, and we thank them for sharing their music in these uncertain times. The Herricks Jazz Quartet took on the stage next and performed "On Green Dolphin Street". The quartet consisted of Timothy Kim on alto saxophone, Timothy Lai on the drums, Stanley Chen on the piano, and Brendon Lau on the bass. Despite having to record their parts separately, the Quartet sounded phenomenal! We thank the Jazz Quartet for lifting our spirits with their music. In order to congratulate the class of 2020, Jazz Night also featured Herricks faculty and alumni with their greetings and performances. The faculty and alumni consisted of Marcus Rubinstein(Class of 2005), Jesse Torres(Class of 2013), Mrs.Birke(Orchestra Director), Ariana Stefanidis(Class of 2015), Michael Trietsch(Class of 2011), Darren Yang(Class of 2019), Ms. O’Hanlon(Choir Director), Andrew Jacobson(Class of 2016), Kenny Wallach(Class of 2009), Matt Cosola(Class of 2019), Mr. Stickley(Band Director), Emily Buckley(Class of 2011), Chris Trietsch(Class of 2013), Adam Cordero(Class of 2017), Mrs. Arnold(Director of Music), and last but not least, Dr. Taylor(Director of Jazz Ensembles). The performances and words they shared with the Class of 2020 were sincere and heartwarming, and we hope that the seniors enjoyed the special greetings and performances. On this note, congratulations to all the seniors, and we hope the best for every single one of you! We are also extremely proud of our Jazz Band for having a Virtual Jazz Night, despite the circumstances, and we want to thank every one of you for your efforts and the delightful performances! We hope everyone gets a chance to listen to these great musicians.
Links to Performances:
"I'm Down With That"
"Evidence"
"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing"
"On Green Dolphin Street"
Faculty and Alumni tribute to The Class of 2020
Article by Genesis Kang and Ved Dattaray
Links to Performances:
"I'm Down With That"
"Evidence"
"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing"
"On Green Dolphin Street"
Faculty and Alumni tribute to The Class of 2020
Article by Genesis Kang and Ved Dattaray
Induction (06/01/20)
Tri-M is an honor society that seeks to inspire and build a community with music. Induction occurs at the end of every year to celebrate members of Tri-M who have upheld the standards of being part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, as well as individuals who have actively contributed to carrying out Tri-M’s vision. This year, due to the unexpected occurrence of COVID-19, Induction was held virtually on June 1, and premiered live on Youtube at 6:00 P.M. Regardless of the situation at hand, Mrs. Arnold and the wonderful Executive Board made the Induction ceremony just as great as it would have been in-person.
The ceremony started off with friendly greetings by Mrs. Arnold and the Executive Board, which included a wonderful video of Tri-M’s accomplishments this year made by Chiara Tan and Justin Yang. From Jazz Night to NYSSMA recitals, this chapter truly stood out! This year, Herricks Tri-M had the great honor of hearing from our guest speakers, Dr. David Brown, Nandini Venkateswaran, and Michael Paciullo. Dr. Brown is the president of NYSSMA and is a dedicated supporter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. His speech was truly inspirational, and it fully exhibited his passion for music education. Nandini Venkateswaran is an alumni of HHS and served as President of the Tri-M Music Honor Society in 2007. She shared how being a member of Tri-M allowed her to build invaluable experiences and meet mentors that have allowed her to become who she is today. Music continues to influence her life, despite her not having a career in music. Last but not least, Michael Paciullo is a graduating senior in the class of 2020, and he shared his experience in Tri-M and expressed the significance of music in his life. Music became something so valuable and necessary in his life, that he began to pursue music seriously. We hope that he achieves his dreams as a musician and composer in the future!
Following our lovely guest speakers was the Chapter Student Awards. Each year, Tri-M recognizes members who have gone above and beyond the standards. The first award is the Master Musician Award, and it recognizes a member who excels in music. This year, the Master Musician was awarded to Stanley Chen, a member who received recognition at All-State and in the Honor Band of America. The next award is the Leadership Recognition Award, and it recognizes members who have demonstrated leadership not only in Tri-M, but also in the school and community. The Tri-M Leadership Recognitions were awarded to Keneil Soni and Ved Dattary. The two individuals have exemplified what it means to be a leader, and they have been able to make an impact in the community with music in these uncertain times. The last award is the Outstanding Service Recognition Award, which recognizes members who have demonstrated outstanding service. This award was given to Pranati Patnam and Kayla Sohn. The service of these two individuals in the Tri-M Chapter, the school, and the community have been exceptional, and through their service, they have been able to contribute to the vision of Tri-M. Congratulations to continuing members and initiates! This year, we had 40 initiates, 57 continuing members, and 16 life members. Your efforts and contribution have allowed the 1975 chapter to stand out, and we hope that music continues to be an important part of your life.
After much anticipation, the chapter officers of 2020-2021 were announced. Congratulations to our Co-Presidents, Timothy Kim and Rhea Rasquina, our Co-Vice Presidents, Chiara Tan and Justin Yang, our Secretary/Treasurer, Stanley Chen, our Points Chair, Keneil Soni, our Co-Historians, Ved Dattaray and Genesis Kang, and our Public Relations officer, Kayla Sohn. It’s been a great year! Congratulations to you all, and see you next year!
Article by Genesis Kang
Video by Herricks Tri-M Executive Board 19'-20', Ms. Anissa Arnold, Dr. David Brown, Nandini Venkateswaran, and Michael Paciullo
The ceremony started off with friendly greetings by Mrs. Arnold and the Executive Board, which included a wonderful video of Tri-M’s accomplishments this year made by Chiara Tan and Justin Yang. From Jazz Night to NYSSMA recitals, this chapter truly stood out! This year, Herricks Tri-M had the great honor of hearing from our guest speakers, Dr. David Brown, Nandini Venkateswaran, and Michael Paciullo. Dr. Brown is the president of NYSSMA and is a dedicated supporter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. His speech was truly inspirational, and it fully exhibited his passion for music education. Nandini Venkateswaran is an alumni of HHS and served as President of the Tri-M Music Honor Society in 2007. She shared how being a member of Tri-M allowed her to build invaluable experiences and meet mentors that have allowed her to become who she is today. Music continues to influence her life, despite her not having a career in music. Last but not least, Michael Paciullo is a graduating senior in the class of 2020, and he shared his experience in Tri-M and expressed the significance of music in his life. Music became something so valuable and necessary in his life, that he began to pursue music seriously. We hope that he achieves his dreams as a musician and composer in the future!
Following our lovely guest speakers was the Chapter Student Awards. Each year, Tri-M recognizes members who have gone above and beyond the standards. The first award is the Master Musician Award, and it recognizes a member who excels in music. This year, the Master Musician was awarded to Stanley Chen, a member who received recognition at All-State and in the Honor Band of America. The next award is the Leadership Recognition Award, and it recognizes members who have demonstrated leadership not only in Tri-M, but also in the school and community. The Tri-M Leadership Recognitions were awarded to Keneil Soni and Ved Dattary. The two individuals have exemplified what it means to be a leader, and they have been able to make an impact in the community with music in these uncertain times. The last award is the Outstanding Service Recognition Award, which recognizes members who have demonstrated outstanding service. This award was given to Pranati Patnam and Kayla Sohn. The service of these two individuals in the Tri-M Chapter, the school, and the community have been exceptional, and through their service, they have been able to contribute to the vision of Tri-M. Congratulations to continuing members and initiates! This year, we had 40 initiates, 57 continuing members, and 16 life members. Your efforts and contribution have allowed the 1975 chapter to stand out, and we hope that music continues to be an important part of your life.
After much anticipation, the chapter officers of 2020-2021 were announced. Congratulations to our Co-Presidents, Timothy Kim and Rhea Rasquina, our Co-Vice Presidents, Chiara Tan and Justin Yang, our Secretary/Treasurer, Stanley Chen, our Points Chair, Keneil Soni, our Co-Historians, Ved Dattaray and Genesis Kang, and our Public Relations officer, Kayla Sohn. It’s been a great year! Congratulations to you all, and see you next year!
Article by Genesis Kang
Video by Herricks Tri-M Executive Board 19'-20', Ms. Anissa Arnold, Dr. David Brown, Nandini Venkateswaran, and Michael Paciullo