‘A tradition of excellence’

Baldwin musicians perform at All-State conference

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To be selected to perform in the New York State School Music Association’s All-State Conference, musicians must score 100 — a perfect mark — at their auditions in the spring. Six Baldwin High School students did just that, and were invited to attend the gathering in Rochester Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

The students who took part were Evan Batsford, tenor II; Joshua Davis, French horn; Jasmin Jean-Louis, soprano II; Grace Lari, soprano II; Charlize Ramirez, soprano II; and Jonathan Sayage, mallet (or percussion instruments, such as the xylophone).

Also featured was Baldwin eighth-grader Rachel Lyons, 13, who played at the conference’s piano showcase — one of 13 musicians chosen for the honor out of 110 applicants. “It was really unexpected,” Rachel said. “I was really excited that I was picked, and it was great to be able to play there.”

Batsford, 17, said that it was no surprise that the district was well represented at the conference. “There is a real tradition of excellence in the music program,” he said. “I think the arts at Baldwin are wildly underrated.”

More than 6,000 students statewide try out for the All-State conference each year, and about 900 are selected. They perform in concerts throughout the conference alongside other student musicians, with a guest conductor leading each en-semble.

Batsford has also been invited to the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association/National Association for Music Education’s Eastern Division Conference All-Eastern Honor Choir, which will take place in April. “It’s going to be a lot of intense rehearsals with a lot of great musicians,” he said.

When Batsford learned that he was selected for the All-State conference, he was shocked, he said. “To be quite honest, I didn’t feel like it went as well as it should have gone,” he said. For his audition, he performed “Amarilli, Mia Bella,” which Italian Giulio Romolo composed in the early 17th century.

The Baldwin Fine and Performing Arts Program has helped Batsford more deeply appreciate music, which has driven him to become a better singer, he said. “My passion for music has grown tremendously because when you walk into the Baldwin music department, there’s a high standard of excellence,” Batsford said. “It gives you a real sense of purpose, and as a musician, I think I have grown tremendously.”

Andre Poprilo, the program director, said the secret behind its success is the pride that music instructors take in what they do in the classroom. “We’re looking to inspire students at an increasingly younger age and help them take pride in their work,” Poprilo said. “And it becomes contagious after a while . . . The kids are then inspiring each other.”

While Rachel receives private piano lessons, she said the Baldwin program has helped her grow as a musician in other ways. In fourth grade, she began to play cello and recently joined the Bruin singers, a choir group.

Orchestra Director Megan Ferguson-Koci flew to Rochester to see Rachel in the All-State piano showcase. Ferguson-Koci said she has known Rachel since she was in the fourth grade. “To see her grow as a musician and for her to get this huge honor was such a thrill for me,” Ferguson-Koci said.

She said she wants to be the type of teacher she had during her time as a student in Baldwin. Middle school “can be a very difficult time because you’re trying to figure out who you are,” she said. “If I can be someone they can just touch base with . . . I’m very pleased to do that.”

Students like Rachel appreciate the support. “They have been extremely supportive of me over the past few years,” she said. “Whenever I’m nervous, they’re my go-to people.”

Rachel’s nerves peaked at the All-State recital. “This was the most people I’ve ever performed in front of,” she said. “I didn’t even eat breakfast because I was so nervous.” Her jitters didn’t last too long, though, as she was one of the first to go on stage, performing Bach’s “Prelude in B-flat Major. “

Poprilo said the music program is also about helping students become better people. For example, he said, Batsford has grown into a leader during his time in the program.

“I told his parents once, ‘Your son is blossoming,’” Poprilo said, “and they saw the same thing. It’s the confirmation of growth in their child. You get to see students become whoever they’re going to be.”

Batsford plans to apply to music programs at Queens College and the Manhattan School of Music. Rachel, who enters Baldwin High next year, said she does not yet know if she wants to study music in college. “I have music, and I love that, and I’m never going to give up on that,” she said. “I’ll always have it.”