The Northport High School orchestra program is primed and ready for a fantastic 2021-2022 school year.

Throughout the year, they hope to increase their community visibility and perform as much as possible. They are also planning to record their performances so as to showcase their work to a much larger audience via social media platforms. The new orchestra teacher, Mr. Susinno, and orchestra president, Ethan Koenig, have been planning fun events and selecting great music to learn and share.

There are now three orchestras at Northport High School for eager students to join. String Orchestra is open to grades 9-12; Symphony Orchestra is an Honors course open to students in grades 10-12; and the brand new after-school Chamber Orchestra is open to students in grades 9-12 for those who meet the audition requirements.

This year, all three orchestras will be exploring music by contemporary British and American composers. Our students would also love to collaborate with others in the music department, as well as different groups throughout the high school.

The NHS orchestra students are very excited to work with and inspire the younger musicians in the community. They are planning a Halloween-themed event for orchestra students in grades 3-8 called the Halloween Spooktacular, a fun-filled concert where older and younger students alike are encouraged to wear costumes and enjoy a much-needed break from stress. Throughout this, they will perform Danse Macabre, This is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

As well, the orchestra has formed a partnership with the prestigious Manhattan-based Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, under the direction of conductor David Bernard. Over the course of the academic year, our students will be invited to attend performances in the Hudson Yards area and welcome maestro Bernard to work with them here at Northport High School. This sharing of ideas and strategies will really help our students push their orchestral abilities to the next level.

The orchestra is also hoping to go on a performance tour of Bermuda in August of 2022, Covid restrictions allowing. They will be learning works by Barber, Beethoven, Bloch, Britten, Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams, as well as lighter selections from pop, rock, jazz and TV/film in preparation for this potential event.

They are very excited to make music and bring back their pre-Covid energy levels as much as possible.