By Jeff Lipton
Two more prestigious accomplishments for students
The East Meadow School District has long been regarded as a mecca for musical talent, and the recent accomplishments of two students have built on that legacy.
Evan Allen, a junior at East Meadow High School, and Steven Miller, a senior, have enhanced the district's stellar musical reputation in recent weeks. Allen was a finalist on the piano and alto saxophone in auditions for the Grammy Band, which performs at post-Grammy Awards parties. Miller, a trumpet player, was a finalist in tryouts for the President's Own Marine Band Concerto Competition in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 16. The Marine Band performs at many White House functions.
Allen said that a friend from Huntington Station who has made the Grammy Band two years in a row convinced him to try out. Thus, on Oct. 1, Allen gave it his best shot at a recording session at East Meadow High, and ended up a finalist, but just missed making the final cut. Had he been named to the Grammy Band, he would have been flown to Los Angeles and performed at Southern California jazz clubs as well as at the 50th annual Grammy ceremonies at the Staples Center.
About 600 students auditioned, and 80 were named finalists. "I'll try again for it next year," said Allen, 16. "I was really happy to be a finalist. It's a really competitive program."
Allen said his best instrument is piano, which he has been playing since he was 4, when his mother, Karen, who also played the piano, started teaching him. He picked up the saxophone years later so that he could join the school band.
Allen, who now plays in the high school's jazz and wind ensembles, said he hopes to continue his music education after high school, and is setting his sights on in the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard or the Eastman School of Music. He said he is looking to become a musician or a composer, and putting out albums.
For now he is putting in hours of practice, trying to balance that with his school work. Abby Behr, the school district's director of music and art, called Allen "an incredible talent. His jazz concepts on the piano are just unbelievable."
Behr said that about 20 students made the Grammy Band, and so "just being a finalist is a pretty big deal."
Miller, 18, said he has been playing the trumpet for about 10 years. He said he passed the preliminary round of auditions for the President's Own Marine Band Concerto Competition on Nov. 15, and was notified of his selection as a finalist on Jan. 1. "This is the group that picks the band that would play for the president, and that would be incredible," Miller said, adding that making the band also comes with a $2,500 prize.
This is the inaugural Marine Band Concerto Competition for high school musicians, announced by the U.S. Marine Band, in association with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and the National Association for Music Education (MENC, or Music Educators National Conference). The competition is open to woodwind, brass or percussion musicians in grades 9 through 12. The winner will appear as a guest soloist with the U.S. Marine Band at the 61st MENC National Biennial In-Service Conference in Milwaukee April 9-13.
Miller, who said he ranks third in his class at East Meadow High, practices the trumpet almost two hours a day, in between his school work. He said his best subjects are math and science, but he plans on majoring in music when he attends college, even though he wants to be an engineer. In the meantime, he wouldn't mind traveling with the president and committing "Hail to the Chief" to memory.
"I was really happy that I made it this far," Miller said of his finalist status. He said the music teachers at East Meadow High have helped him a great deal in refining his musical talent. "The teachers are great," said Miller, who also plays in the jazz and wind ensembles. "They all go that extra mile. And there are a lot of opportunities playing with different groups."
Both Miller and Allen were named to the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State solo competition in Rochester Nov. 29-Dec. 2, with performances taking place at the Eastman School of Music's Eastman Theater and Kilbourn Hall. Of the 6,827 students who performed an All-State solo, 893 were selected for NYSSMA All-State Conference, including 13 from East Meadow and Clarke high schools. These students, including Allen and Miller, will perform in one of the All-State musical ensembles at the NYSSMA Winter Conference.
Joel Levy, chairman of the East Meadow High School Music Department, said Allen was "one of the most talented kids I've seen in my career. He plays like a pro."
Levy also described Miller as the best trumpet player the high school has seen. "He's just a brilliant kid," Levy said.
In the past 13 years, the district's marching band has garnered eight first-place awards in the annual Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan, along with two second-place and two third-place awards. The East Meadow High Marching Band has scheduled a trip to Disney World to perform, and the Clarke High School Marching Band is slated to take a trip to San Francisco to perform at a music festival.
"We've had long history of musical accomplishments and success in this school district," said Levy. "We've had a number of great musicians who have come out of here. We have a respected music program."
Comments about this story? JLipton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
