Musicians From Half Hollow Hills Selected For NYSSMA All-State Honors

The New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) has announced its selections for the 2025 NYSSMA All-State music groups, and the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is proud to recognize 17 of its student musicians chosen to take part in this year’s prestigious Winter Conference in Rochester, New York. In addition, many students from the district were recognized as alternates.

The students from Half Hollow Hills High School East selected to participate are:

• Amanda Breinberg – Piccolo – Wind Ensemble
• Gabriel Carroll – Tenor 1 – Mixed Chorus
• Isabelle Eisdorfer – Alto 1 – Treble Chorus
• Sofia Giacoponello – Alto 1 – Treble Chorus
• Chloe Leshnower – Alto 2 – Treble Chorus
• Brandon Liao – Violin – Symphony Orchestra
• Kendall Mathew – Alto 1 – Treble Chorus
• Liam Polani – Tenor 2 – Mixed Chorus
• Ayan Raza – Cello – Symphony Orchestra
• Joshua Shin – Bb Clarinet – Symphonic Band
• Ryan Smith – Multiple Percussion – Symphonic Band

The students from Half Hollow Hills High School West selected to participate are:

• Kathryn Cooper – Soprano 2 – Mixed Chorus
• Alexandra D’Alessio – Soprano 1 – Treble Chorus
• Dante DiGiorgio – Jazz Bass Voice – Vocal Jazz
• Riley Fergus – Viola – String Orchestra
• Ryan Kim – Viola – Symphony Orchestra
• Alan Yu – Violin – Symphony Orchestra

These students were selected from among thousands who auditioned across New York State at NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble Festivals last spring. Approximately 850 All-State musicians will rehearse and perform together at the 89th Annual NYSSMA Winter Conference, held December 4–7, 2025, at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, NY.

“It is an incredible honor for our students to perform at the highly competitive NYSSMA All-State Winter Conference,” said Jon Trapani, Director of Fine Arts at Half Hollow Hills. “Their talent, dedication and passion for music make them outstanding representatives of our schools and our community.”

An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of approximately 7,200 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education. The district is committed to providing all students with equitable opportunities to excel in academics, athletics and the arts.