Bay Area Summer Orchestra Strings Up

Soothing cello bass lines and lightly flowing high-pitched melodies resonated through the Bayport- Blue Point High School auditorium Monday night as the third Bay Area Summer Orchestra (BASO) rehearsal began.

From the sounds of it, BASO’s concert will have a showbiz theme this year: The group will perform various pieces from movies and Broadway shows. Some of these include “The Magical World of Pixar,” “Superman Returns,” “Prelude to Carmen” and “Phantom of the Opera.”

“It’s a mix of recognizable stuff,” said BASO Director David Johnson.

Running for six seasons, BASO continues to be one of the area’s biggest summer programs, comprised of more than 100 people. The group is primarily composed of students, alumni and community members from the district.

However, Johnson said now teachers and students from other districts have joined. Some of these districts include Sayville, Connetquot, East Islip, Deer Park, Three Village and Half Hollow Hills.

“Now that the group is established, outside people are hearing about it and just showing up,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the group was started as a way to reunite alumni and create a summer club with a shared passion: Music.

“My original reason for starting it was to keep in contact with alumni, with former students,” Johnson said. “That’s where it started, but the people who play in the group are people who really want to be here and love music.”

Lauren Anderson, a 2007 B-BP graduate, said she joined BASO to maintain her cello skills and catch up with old high school classmates.

“I think it's a good idea because B-BP is such a close-knit community,” Anderson said. “Music is fortunately an everyday occurrence in B-BP public schools during the school year, and it's ultimately music that unites community members and brings alumnus back together.”

Some students feel a void after ending their musical career in high school. Johnson said music will always be a part of them and they can finally bring out their love for it again in this group.

Anderson also said that while playing in college, she found how privileged she was to come from an outstanding music program and it made her appreciate BASO even more.

“I was actually surprised at the fact that my college orchestra seemed to be at a lower musical level than the high school group that I had come from,” she said “Obviously, this can only be attributed to wonderful music teachers in the district.

Col. Josiah Smith Chapter, NSDAR Gives Local Students Awards ...

The Col. Josiah Smith Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) is proud to announce its local winners of the Good Citizens Award, the ROTC Award, and the American History Awards for 2011.

DAR GOOD CITIZENS

DAR Good Citizens are high school seniors who have given outstanding service to their schools and their communities.

  Chapter Winner (Certificate, Medal and $100.00 Check):

    Steven Joseph Seidman, Bellport High School

  First Runner-Up (Certificate, Medal and $50.00 Check):

    Nicole Desz, Sachem North High School       

ROTC AWARDS

ROTC Awards are given to student cadets who demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding ability in a high school ROTC program. Winners receive a certificate, Medal and $100.00 check.

  Cadet Catherine Manett, Patchogue-Medford High School

  Cadet Andrea Bruno, William Floyd High School

AMERICAN HISTORY AWARDS 2011

DAR American History Awards are given to high school seniors for excellence in the study of American History.

  Kyle Underwood, Bayport-Blue Point High School

  Amber Robinson, Bellport High School

  Haley Eaton, Center Moriches High School      

  Mary McQuaid, Centereach High School         

  Andrea Gabrielle, Connetquot High School  

  Davida M. Bynum, Longwood High School

  Jordan Donohue, Newfield High School

  Merit George, Patchogue-Medford High School           

  Philicia Benigno, Sachem East High School

  Aiman Sherani, Sachem North High School     

  Emily Crawford, Sayville High School

  Francis Hackenburg, William Floyd High School

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage organization dedicated to volunteer service, educational enhancement and historic preservation. Any female over eighteen years of age who can prove descent from an individual who aided in the quest for American Independence is eligible to join. The Col. Josiah Smith Chapter, NSDAR is based in Patchogue, New York. For more information, please visit the chapter's website at http://www.nydar.org/chapters/ coloneljosiahsmith.html or visit their page on Facebook.

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