Bringing chorale members and alumni together

For the last 30 years, the Hewlett-Woodmere Concert Chorale, a vocal ensemble, have done a holiday tour where they perform in the Five Towns. On December 22, They performed their final event of the season that alumni often attend at the Center for Adult Life Enrichment on the high school’s campus on Dec. 22.

At 2017’s performance, while seeing the former chorale members watching the new members, Walter Lastowski, the district director of art and music, had an idea. “Wouldn’t it be kind of cool to pull the alumni and the current students together to create a Hewlett holiday CD,” said Lastowski.

After surveying parents, Lastowski said he saw a demand for the project, and began inviting alumni. Around 100 current and former members will be in attendance, about 70 of them being alumni, to record on June 16 at Hewlett High School, from 9 a.m. to noon. People are invited to watch, but need to refrain from making noise.

Proceeds will go to the district’s art and music scholarship fund, which helps pay for students who have trouble affording the cost of the chorale’s trips, in addition to awarding scholarships.

Mara Santanastaso, the general music and chorus teacher at Ogden Elementary School, now assists with the chorale that she was a part of when in high school. Santanastaso, graduated from Hewlett High in 1997, and was a chorale member for three years, “It’s exciting to get to relive some of my best memories from high school,” she said. “This is going to be great not only for present and past members, but future members and families as well.”

She said the group will sing 10 songs for different celebrations, including, “Christmas From the Heart,” the melody they’ve performed annually. “It’s really a holiday tradition that sticks with all of us,” she said. “It’s also kind of fun for me to show off my students to my friends. I feel proud, I’ve been working with them not only in high school, but I’ve known most of them since kindergarten and first grade.

The Concert Chorale is coming off a terrific showing at the New York State School Music Association, they received gold with distinction at Level VI, the highest difficulty.