'It All Started With Family': LI Student Trumpeter Invited To NYSSMA

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — A Centrail Islip High School trumpet player has been selected to perform in the annual NYSSMA All-State Festival Performing Ensemble in December—and he "can't wait" to perform.

Junior Davian Perez has been playing the trumpet since the fifth grade and will perform at the prestigious event on Dec. 7.

When Davian heard the news, he was shocked—and thrilled.

"I had just finished schoolwork and was playing video games with my friends. My mom knocked on my door and she came up to me holding something behind her back," he said. "She showed me the letter saying that I was selected, and my jaw was on the floor."

According to school officials, Davian credits his band teacher, Jeremiah Ryan, and his private instructor, Emmanuel Devassy, with helping him get invited to NYSSMA.

While the event was a "milestone he had in mind," Davian didn't expect the dream to come true so soon.

"I’ve been working for this with Mr. Devassy for over a year, but to be honest, this year was meant to grow and get on track," Davian said. "It’s cool that I’m a year early on my progress."

The invite forced Davian to take a trip down memory lane back to when he first learned about music and credits his family with the introduction.

"It all started with my family playing the guitar. I always found it so cool. They played by ear without looking at music, so it was even more impressive," he said.

Davian vividly recalls a special moment with his father when he showed him a recording of a jazz band playing the saxophone and trumpet.

"That video inspired me to play trumpet," he added. "I could tell that my father having a background knowledge of music would help me as I learned to play."

Davian said that when he chose the trumpet, he was just focused on learning and improving.

He remembers drawing inspiration from his elementary school teacher, Mrs. Valverde.

"I have always found it so interesting to just pick up an instrument and make music. Mrs. Valverde played the trumpet, and she always had so many activities for us, whether it be concerts, playing for the school, stuff like that," Davian said.

Not only is Davian a successful musician, but he plans to pursue a career in medicine. As a child, Davian was frequently in the hospital with an autoimmune disease called neutropenia, which impacted his white blood cell count and ability to fight infection.

"I’ve always wanted to be a doctor ever since I was a kid," he said. "I was in the hospital a lot until I was six. So, I want to give back to other kids like those doctors gave back to me."

Davian said it was "an honor" to represent his school in Rochester.

"This district has always been so supportive of its students and supportive of me, so being able to represent them is less of a burden and more of an honor," he said. "I’ve never been upstate, so I can’t wait to be there."