Tickling the Ivories 1,400 Student Pianists from Nassau
Schools to Perform at C.W. Post
More than 1,400 young pianists from Nassau County will gather for what
is being called the largest piano festival in New York state on May 12,
13 and 14, 1998 at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville,
New York.
The pianists are students in grades 4 through 12 from more than 30 public,
private and parochial schools in Nassau County, including Locust Valley,
Levittown, Roslyn, Elmont and Friends Academy. New York state-certified
judges from as far away as Ontario, Canada will evaluate the pianists on
their talent and skill-level, according to standards set by the New York
State School Music Association (NYSSMA).
This is the second year that the C.W. Post Campus has organized the
"C.W. Post/NYSSMA Spring Piano Evaluation Festival." More than
20 music rooms on the college campus will be used over the three-day period,
from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily.
"Many music educators are calling this the state's, if not the
nation's, largest gathering of pianists for one single event," according
to Joseph R. Sugar, director of music education at C.W. Post and chairman
of the Piano Evaluation Festival. Professor Sugar, a resident of Wantagh,
NY, is past president of the Nassau Music Educators Association, the New
York State School Music Association, the New York State Council of Administrators
of Music Education, and the Eastern Division of the Music Educator National
Conference.
Nassau County music teachers will use the results of the assessments
to determine student skill levels, to set individual study and performance
goals and to help students improve technique and instruction.
According to Professor Sugar, "Ideally, the results of the assessment
are placed in a permanent performance portfolio to serve as a tangible
record of a student's musical progress throughout his entire school career."
He added, "This way the student's future music teachers can refer
to the records and adapt an instructional program that is in keeping with
the student's skill level."
For more information call the C.W. Post Music Department at (516) 299-2474
or 3014.
For more information call the C.W. Post Public
Relations Office at (516) 299-2333 or e-mail cwpostpr@aurora.liunet.edu
or send mail to: Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, 720 Northern
Blvd., Brookville, New York 11548-1300.
