Tony Award Winning Musical Director to Conduct Master Class At Long Island High School For The Arts

Tony award winning Musical Director Ted Sperling visited the Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) recently where he conducted a Master Class for the school's music and theatre students.

Mr. Sperling, who is about to start rehearsals as the music director for Lincoln Center's revival of My Fair Lady opening in March 2018, won the 2005 Tony and Drama Desk awards for his orchestrations of The Light in the Piazza, for which he was also music director. An original cast member of the Broadway musical Titanic, Mr. Sperling played bandleader Wallace Hartley. Off- Broadway credits as music director include A Man of No Importance, Wise Guys, A New Brain, Saturn Returns, Floyd Collins, Falsetto land, and Romance in Hard Times. Other Broadway credits as music director/conductor/pianist include the rapturously received revivals of Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I and South Pacific; Guys and Dolls, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Angels in America, My Favorite Year, Falsettos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Les Misérables, Roza, and Sunday in the Park with George.

Students performed their college audition selections for the Tony Award winner, who offered feedback about the performances. The class is now anxious to put his feedback about song choices, posture, tempo, relating with the audience, and connecting with the song and lyrics, into action to improve their audition pieces.

The Master Class program is part of the school's ongoing mission to provide its students with inside looks at the industries they are pursuing, and to introduce them to mentors within their chosen field. Master Classes are offered in each of the LIHSA's major disciplines: Theater, Dance, Fine Art, Music and Film Making. Students embrace the specialized programs and soak in the knowledge to hone their craft and enjoy successful careers in the arts.

Theater students who performed include: Lucy D'Addario (Locust Valley CSD); Jordan Coene (Levittown UFSD); Lyle Greene (Levittown UFSD); Emma Wallach (Locust Valley CSD); Andrew Culbreath (Hempstead UFSD): Ava Dell'Aquila (Harborfields CSD); Sara Meade (Northport-E. Northport UFSD); Shaakirah Nazim-Harris (Amityville UFSD); Alissa Popeck (Massapequa UFSD); Kassidy Rieder (Lindenhurst UFSD); Celia Spero (Harborfields CSD); Sebastien Diaquoi (Massapequa UFSD); Matthew Ferrugia (Massapequa UFSD); Alyssa Marcoini (East Meadow UFSD), Lena Vazquez (Amityville UFSD). Additionally, Alyssa Mener (Massapequa UFSD) and Toni Ciccolella (Massapequa UFSD) from LIHSA's music program.

About LIHSA

Established in 1973, LIHSA is part of the public education system and is paid for by local school districts. It offers specialized training and instruction to students interested in pursuing careers in dance, drama, filmmaking, instrumental and vocal music, theatre technology, musical theatre and the visual arts. The half-day program enables students to complete their core academic classes in their home high school and receive two and a half hours of intensive training in their chosen field of artistic study. To learn more, visit www.nassauboces.org/LIHSA and like us at www.facebook.com/LIHSArts.

LIHSA's next public events include An Evening with Cara Mentzel who returns to her hometown of Syosset on Thursday, February 1 at 7 PM to discuss her book "Voice Lessons" about growing up as Idina Menzel's younger sister and an Open House on Saturday, February 3 from 10 am - 2 pm. Both events are free and all are invited.

About Nassau BOCES

A vital regional resource, Nassau BOCES offers state-of-the-art programs for learners of all ages and abilities as well as cost-effective services for school districts and municipalities. We empower students to achieve their maximum potential in alternative, artistic, outdoor, special education, virtual, and career and technical environments. We offer adult education and a variety of programs that are vital to improving the Long Island regional economy. In addition, our technology services form the backbone of many school districts' infrastructures. As the county's educational leader in implementing the state's reform efforts, we are helping to shape the future of education. To learn more, visit www.nassauboces.org and like us at www.facebook.com/nassauboces.

Photo: Ted Sperling watches a performance by Long Island High School student Andrew Culbreath (Hempstead UFSD).

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