Students from Chatham, Randolph, Kinnelon, Mendham, Florham Park, Dover, Morristown, Parsippany and Roxbury, were honored as Mayo Performing Arts Center’s January 2024 Music Students of the Month – Outstanding Percussionists — prior to the Thursday, January 18 performance by Drumline Live.
Students were nominated by their teachers and were chosen by the Theatre’s Education Department based on their commitment to and excellence in the performing arts. The students were honored on stage prior to the concert.
The Theatre will honor a group of students every month throughout the season and invites area teachers to nominate students for this honor.
The 2023-2024 Music Student of the Month program is supported by The Walter F. and Alice Gorham Foundation, Inc.
About the January Music Students of the Month (bio supplied by their instructors)
Carly Albanese
Grade 12, Chatham High School; Chatham Nominated by Brian Conti
Carly is an outstanding person as well as a percussionist. She is involved in every aspect of our music department. Marching Band drumline captain, Wind Ensemble, Pit Orchestra, Chatham Community Band, Caldwell College Honors Band, as well as multiple ensembles. Carly is an amazing mallet percussion player and also covers any and all other percussion instruments associated with being a percussionist. Her dedication has been unmatched the past 4 years and she will be sorely missed.
Ari Charm
Grade 7, Randolph Middle School; Randolph; Nominated by Anthony Eskin
Ari is an exceptional seventh grade percussionist. He serves as a role model to his peers through his dedication, attitude, and leadership. At Randolph Middle School, Ari is active in Percussion Ensemble and the band program. During rehearsals, Ari goes above and beyond to help his peers, showing his maturity and character. Outside of school, he enjoys playing piano, juggling, and acting in community theatre, where he has enjoyed several leading roles. With a rigorous schedule of schoolwork, practicing, and rehearsals during the week, Ari serves as an example to his peers.
Luca Anello-Fiorina
Grade 9, Kinnelon High School; Kinnelon; Nominated by Ryan Stroud
Luca is a consumer of all things percussion related. If it involves hitting a piece of percussion equipment, he’s going to be involved. He’s a member of our Wind Ensemble, Pep Band, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band and any other ensemble that he can get his hands on. In addition to these ensembles, Luca has successfully auditioned for North Jersey’s Intermediate Region Band and the North Jersey Area Band. He’s a valuable member of our school ensembles, and we’re proud of his accomplishments so early in his High School Career.
Rohan Largman
Grade 7, Mountain View Middle School; Mendham; Nominated by Leigh Carpenter
I am nominating Rojan Largman for Music Student of the Month because he exemplifies the qualities one imagines in the ideal student and really an ideal person. He is disciplined, passionate about music, and a peer leader. These qualities have helped him to become advanced musically, technically and relationally at his young age. Rohan takes ownership of his learning. He is inquisitive and continually works to better himself, making sure to ask for clarification and help. Rohan is ever inspired by the music he plays both as part of our band and in solo and small ensemble settings. He can be counted on to be on task and to encourage his classmates to do the same. He has taken less experienced percussionists under his wing and peer taught/mentored them. He is very kind and patient with his fellow students. He also works well in a group taking turns on parts and preferred instruments.
Sean Lee
Grade 8, Ridgedale Middle School; Florham Park; Nominated by Mike Leone
Between his time as a new sixth grade member of our ensemble to now, Sean has shown tremendous growth. He has always had a keen sense of musicianship and curiosity for music. That same curiosity and drive has led him to become a stellar percussionist, as well as a leader in our program. He is auditioning for Region Band next year, and I have high hopes that he will succeed in any musical endeavor that he pursues.
Matthew Lombardi
Grade 12, Dover High School; Dover; Nominated by Dan Vasquez
Matty is an excellent student and dedicated percussionist. He has started writing his own percussion cadences and organized extra practices for the drummers to learn them. The Drumline this year created a new piece of music just to play for the pep rally. The section works harder than anyone else in the band and Matty is such a huge part of that. He inspires others around him to do better and I think he deserves to be acknowledged for his dedication and commitment.
Aidan Orbeta
Grade 12, Morristown High School; Morristown; Nominated by David Gallagher
Aidan is an all around remarkable musician playing a variety of instruments at a high level. However, he truly shines any time that he plays drums. Whether he is playing with the wind ensemble, jazz band, pit orchestra, or marching band Aidan’s musicality rivals that of professional musicians. In marching band Aidan is one of the drumline captains and it is truly like having another staff member. He works tirelessly with his peers helping them to be the best versions of themselves and hone in on their individual technique. Aidan also wrote all of the music for the drumline this year. It is hard to believe sometimes that he is only a junior and his musical talents, as well as his leadership and dedication, will only continue to flourish in the coming years.
Stephen Padilla
Grade 12, Roxbury High School; Roxbury; Nominated by Jeffrey Conrad
Stephen is an active member of our band program. He has been a section leader in marching band for the past two years as well as playing center marimba in our front ensemble. He is currently the President of Roxbury High School’s new Tri-M chapter and is also heavily involved in our vocal programs as well. As a percussionist, Stephen has grown tremendously and is now planning on pursuing instrumental music education as a career. He has and is currently working hard in all areas of percussion to grow his skill set and learn how to be a musical and fully realized percussionist
Abhay Prajapati
Grade 8, Brooklawn Middle School; Parsippany; Nominated by Mike Leone
Abhay is a very talented musician in our 8th grade band. Before this year, he played the flute and he has decided to learn a new instrument this year by joining the percussion section. He has adjusted spectacularly in his new section of the band. He is learning each of the percussion instruments with ease and blending into the group as if he has been in the percussion section for years. He is also always very responsible and polite. Abhay’s musicianship and demeanor make him an excellent choice for this month’s MSOM.
Deric Yoon
Grade 11, Parsippany High School; Florham Park; Nominated by Gregory Dalakian
Deric Yoon has been a dedicated member of our music program since the moment he entered Parsippany HS as a 9th Grader. He is a talented percussionist who shows enthusiasm and talent in all aspects of the program, through his participation in Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Pit Orchestra, and Marching Band. Deric has served as student leader in the Marching Band with and without a title for the past two years and has been an excellent role model for his peers. He is someone we can always rely on and always represents PHS with Pride, Honor, and Spirit. Thank you for considering Deric Yoon for this honor!
About MPAC
Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2023-2024 season is made possible, in part, by a grant the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and numerous corporations, foundations and individuals. Mayo Performing Arts Center was named 2016 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres, and is ranked in the top 50 mid-sized performing arts centers by Pollstar Magazine.
