Thursday, October 1, 2026
The jazz band at Washington Street School in Franklin Square made school history this spring, earning the highest possible rating in its first-ever appearance at the Long Island Music Festival.
The 57-member ensemble, led by band director Jason O’Connor, performed at Suffolk County Community College on May 28, representing Franklin Square alongside student ensembles from elementary, middle and high schools across Long Island.
The annual festival sees students perform in front of professional adjudicators, who then evaluate the musical performance and artistry while offering feedback. In its first appearance at the festival, the jazz band received a Superior rating, the highest possible ranking.
After months of preparation, the students performed two selections — Charlie Parker’s “Now’s the Time” and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” — earning ratings of 94 and 97 out of 100, the festival’s highest distinction.
“So, we got the superior rating with both two judges, which is very high and was very good for our band's reputation,” band member Sienna Sparacio said. “We worked very hard to achieve this.”
Students said they spent about five months preparing through regular rehearsals and additional Friday morning practices.
“We like did a bunch of Friday rehearsals, and Mr. O’Connor helped us a lot,” another band member, Anna Masa said.
For many students, the recognition reflected months of hard work.
“It was a really big accomplishment,” band member Lucy Sorr said. “We’ve been working really, really hard every Friday morning at 8:15, and it’s just like really big.”
She added that being part of the first Washington Street School band to attend the festival made the accomplishment even more meaningful.
“I’m really proud of everyone in my band, he’s helped us so much,” Lucy said of the band and their director Mr. O’Connor.
Grace Abruzzino, who has played the clarinet for three years, said the achievement was something the entire band could celebrate.
“I think it’s like a really big accomplishment, and we should all be like proud of ourselves,” she said.
Another member of the band, Charlotte Turbeur, said the band’s success could inspire future students.
“I think it’s a big accomplishment for us,” Charlotte said. “We are the first, like, grade — this is the first time our school has ever done this, and I think it will be a huge thing if the school continues to do this for years to come.”
Following the awards ceremony, the students celebrated their accomplishment with a trip to Adventureland in Farmingdale.
O’Connor said the festival was the first adjudicated competition he has entered as a band director and the first time Washington Street School participated in the event.
He has led the program since 2021, rebuilding it after Covid-19 disruptions that limited instrumental instruction and left many students performing below expected grade level. Since then, he has expanded the ensemble and introduced a more challenging and contemporary repertoire.
“They’re not playing elementary school music,” O’Connor said. “They’re playing probably close to the middle school level.”
The program has grown significantly during his tenure, increasing from about 37 student performers to 84 students across the fifth and sixth grade performing ensembles. O’Connor said the program now emphasizes modern, student-engaging music while continuing to build technical skills.
The band’s performance of “Enter Sandman” has also drawn widespread attention online. A video of the performance has generated more than 1.1 million views and roughly 90,000 likes on Instagram, introducing the students’ talent to audiences far beyond the school community.
Reflecting on the value of music education, O’Connor said music allows students to express creativity while building discipline and collaboration skills.
“I don’t think of it just like as my band,” he said. “I say, ‘You know, this is our band.’”
He said the students’ commitment throughout the year made the historic achievement possible.
“If it’s going to be our band, we have to make sure that we put this effort to, you know, bring it to this top tier type of playing, which takes a lot of work and a lot of rehearsals,” he said.
