Garden City Middle School musicians earn top honors at Long Island Music Festival
Seventy-three members of the Garden City Middle School Eighth Grade Band and Late Night Jazz Ensemble embarked on a new musical adventure this spring.
On May 16, both ensembles—under the direction of Ms. Iovino—performed for two adjudicators at the Long Island Music Festival and earned superior ratings. Each group performed two pieces, followed by a 15-minute workshop with one of the judges, who offered constructive feedback along with numerous compliments.
The judge also spoke about the lifelong value of skills learned through ensemble participation—teamwork, dedication, resilience and focus—highlighting how these qualities contribute to success in future careers and everyday life.
The Eighth Grade Band earned scores of 97 and 99, while the Late Night Jazz Ensemble received near-perfect scores of 99 and 100. Seventh grade trumpet player Emmett Owens was recognized as Best Jazz Soloist for the second consecutive year.
To celebrate their achievements, students spent the afternoon at Long Island Adventure Park in Wheatley Heights, where they navigated a variety of rope and zipline courses.
