Thursday, October 1, 2026
Three East Rockaway Jr./Sr. High School students recently took their voices beyond their hometown, traveling to Albany to perform alongside some of New York’s top young choral singers.
Ashley Guardado, Julian Mena and AnnMarie Piazza were selected to participate in the New York American Choral Directors Association Middle School Honor Choir during the organization’s annual summer conference, held Aug. 7-9 at Siena University.
The three students joined 115 middle school singers from across New York State for the honor choir, representing East Rockaway and the district’s music program on a statewide stage.
Participation in the honor choir gives talented young vocalists an opportunity to work on challenging music in a setting that brings together accomplished student singers from different schools and communities throughout New York.
Students are nominated for the ensemble by a New York-based ACDA member who works closely with them in a choral setting. Selection gives students the opportunity to take what they have learned in their own school music programs and apply those skills while rehearsing and performing as part of a larger ensemble.
For Guardado, Mena and Piazza, preparation for the conference extended into their summer vacation. The trio spent part of their break learning and practicing the pieces they would perform before making the trip to the Albany area for the three-day conference.
Once there, the East Rockaway students rehearsed alongside the other selected singers before coming together for the honor choir performance.
The experience also offered the students a chance to sing with peers who share their interest in choral music while being exposed to the demands of preparing high-level repertoire in an honor choir setting.
Their participation marked an accomplishment not only for the three singers, but also for East Rockaway’s school music program, as Guardado, Mena and Piazza represented the district among young musicians selected from across the state.
The East Rockaway School District congratulated Guardado, Mena and Piazza on their selection, their work throughout the summer and their performance at the conference.
