Woodmere Middle Schoolers Earn Top Marks From NYSSMA

WOODMERE, NY — Woodmere music students earned top marks this week, scoring top ratings in the New York State School Music Association’s Majors Evaluation at Adelphi University, the district announced Wednesday.

The evaluations were earned by the 7th and 8th grade bands from Woodmere, with the 7th grade band winning a gold rating and the 8th graders receiving a gold with distinction rating, which district officials said was the first such honor received by a Woodmere Middle School ensemble.

These evaluations also carried a unique distinction as NYSSMA Majors Evaluations, which district officials said hold a more rigorous adjudication process on musical criteria like tone quality, intonation, balance, technique, accuracy, rhythm, interpretation and overall musicianship.

The gold rating earned by the 7th graders is awarded to ensembles that achieve “outstanding technical and artistic achievement” across all of the evaluated categories, while the gold with distinction rating is earned by exhibiting “exceptional” performance in all sections.

“This achievement reflects the tremendous dedication, talent and commitment of the student musicians who devoted countless hours to rehearsing and refining their performances,” district officials said. “Their success is a testament to their passion for music and their pursuit of excellence.”

The band directors leading this musical charge were Jonathan F. Holford and Sophia Randazzo.