Music Students From Mendham and Chester Honored

The Mayo Performing Arts Center has begun honoring area students as "Music Students of the Month," nominated by teachers and recognized during performances at The Community Theatre.

The press release is below.

Ten area music students were honored at the Music Students of the Month prior to the Friday, May 18, 2012 performance of Bowfire. The students hail from Mendham, Chester,Morristown, Kinnelon, Budd Lake, Rockaway, Randolph, and Florham Park.

Students were nominated by their teachers and were chosen by the theater's Education Department based on their commitment to and excellence in the performing arts. The theater will honor a group of students every month throughout the season and invites area teachers to nominate students for this honor. Students will be invited to perform at a year-end recital in June.

The 2011-2012 Music Student of the Month program is sponsored by Verizon.

Music students of the Month are: (bios provided by school) 

May Music Students of the Month

1. Wesley Vogel

Senior, Morristown High School, Morristown

Nominated by Norma Davis

Wesley has been a dedicated member of the Morristown High School Orchestra for four years.  He is a superior section leader and role model for all of his peers. Wesley is a passionate cellist who puts his personality and charisma into every note he plays.  During rehearsals, he plays with the intensity and enthusiasm of a concert performance, which is truly inspiring for the other students in the orchestra. Wes has been an avid member of the pit orchestras for the spring musicals at Morristown High School and Frelinghuysen Middle School each year, as well as performing on the cello at numerous school and community events.  He is also the section leader for the select String Ensemble.  His musical interest and involvement has been a tremendous part of his high school experience.  Whenever the cello is in his hands, great things happen! Outside of school, Wes is also a member of the Abbey Orchestra where he dives into music by Beethoven and Vivaldi with gusto. 

2. Natalia Bellini

Freshman, Kinnelon High School, Kinnelon

Nominated by Ryan Stroud

Natalia Bellini is a freshman, and for the past two years, she’s played flute in the Kinnelon High School Wind Ensemble, violin in the Pit Orchestra and she’s been selected to participate in the All-County, Region, and All-State choirs.  She is a wonderful a musician, nice student, and a real asset to the Kinnelon High School community.

3. Emily Busby

8th Grade, Mount Olive Middle School, Budd Lake

Nominated by Susan Saposnik

Emily, an 8th grader at the Mt Olive Middle School, is an outstanding musician.  She plays the violin in the middle school orchestra and is assistant concert master for the Sussex Youth Symphony.  As part of the gifted and talented program at school she has organized a string quartet to perform on field trips and school assemblies. Emily is also an accomplished pianist and has accompanied the middle school chorus on piano.  She has played her violin along with the chorus, performing at both the evening concerts and on field trips.  Emily is always willing to help out other students, peer coaching and helping others learn difficult passages. Emily is an honor student at the Mt Olive Middle School and an excellent musician performing music well beyond the average middle school student. 

4. Patricia Knodel

8th Grade, Copeland Middle School, Rockaway

Nominated by Ardith Collins

Patricia has played the violin since 3rd grade, through private lessons.  Patty is also an active member of the Lakeland Youth Symphony in Boonton, NJ, and has been a member and leader of the Copeland String Ensemble for the past three years. Outside of music, Patty is conscientious and seeks to help those around her.  Patty volunteers at the Y, assisting with children’s swim lessons.  She also gave her time at a local Soup Kitchen during Thanksgiving.  Additionally, Patty volunteers for the Rockaway Township Library Summer Programs and Book Sales. Patty plays Soccer for Rockaway Township, and is a member of the Copeland Middle School Yearbook Club. 

5. Eric Rappeport

Senior, Randolph High School, Randolph

Nominated by Eric Schaberg

Eric has been a member of Junior, Senior Region, and All-State Orchestra's in past years.  He recently performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and played it like a professional.  He has applied to some of the top conservatories in the country and was accepted into the University of Michigan as a Double Major in Science and Music.  He was also accepted in Oberlin College and he is making his choice between the two colleges. He practices about 2- 4 hours a day, depending on his schedule.  He really has become a fantastic violinist and has a passion for music is unending. He is the concertmaster in both the Chamber Strings and in the most advanced string ensemble called "Arietta". 

6. Caroline Ring

8th Grade, Ridgedale Middle School, Florham Park

Nominated by Susan Braden

Caroline Ring is an Eighth Grader at Ridgedale Middle School in Florham Park, and is also a very dedicated member of and soloist with the String Ensemble.  Caroline studies violin privately with Marilyn Tepper, and has also been a member of the Morris-Union Jointure Commission Orchestra for the past several years.  At Ridgedale she is an active participant in Select Choir and Student Council, and Caroline has also been active in Girl Scouting for many years.  

7. Alex Schaberg

Junior, West Morris Mendham High School, Mendham

Nominated by Mary Daly

Alex Schaberg, a junior at West Morris Mendham High School, is an integral part of the music scene at Mendham High School. Alex has been a playing violin in the Mendham High School Orchestra and the Baroque String Ensemble for three years. She has also participated in the high school musicals for the three years and has performed in various small ensembles for other school events such as Evening of the Arts and Cabaret Night. Alex also makes sure to perform in community events and nursing homes and in facilities for people who are developmentally disabled.

8. Carly Sokol

Senior, West Morris Central High School, Chester

Nominated by Carol Meiseles

Carly Sokol, a senior, has been playing the violin in the school orchestra, Baroque Orchestra and string quartet since freshman year. In addition to school ensembles, she also plays in the Delbarton Abbey Orchestra.  She is one of the top players, who can be depended upon to coach the less experienced musicians. She will perform solo in a Bach violin and oboe concerto next week at the Baroque Orchestra concert.  Her string quartet, which is entirely student-led, has performed at numerous school and community events. Her passion for music is quite evident when listening to her play. She plans to major in music at James Madison University in the fall. 

9. Ursula Widocki

Sophomore, West Morris Mendham High School, Mendham

Nominated by Mary Daly

Ursula, a sophomore at West Morris Mendham High School, is a violist at Mendham. Ursula loves music and has performed on three different instruments at the high school. Originally, Ursula started as a violinist in the orchestra and took up the viola her sophomore year.  Her transition to viola was remarkable. When Ursula has free time, she loves to perform on guitar and other instruments she and her family have acquired. Last year, Ursula performed a folk medley on guitar for one of the WMMHS concerts. Ursula has been a member of the Mendham High School Orchestra and the Baroque String Ensemble for two years. She has also participated in the high school musicals for the two years and has performed in various small ensembles for other school events such as Evening of the Arts and Cabaret Night. Ursula also enjoys performing in community events, and nursing homes, and other venues.

10. Christopher Zambetti

8th Grade, Mount Olive Middle School, Budd Lake

Nominated by Melany McQueeny

Chris has been a member of the Mount Olive Middle School Music Program since September 2008.  He has always impressed the faculty with his determination and work ethic. He is constantly assisting members of the percussion section with their parts. Chris is also always willing to fill in for any percussion parts that might be missing during rehearsal as well.   He is consistently prepared for lessons and learns his band music without fail. This past year, Chris was nominated and chosen to perform in the North Jersey Area Band. Chris was a member of the Mount Olive High School Marching Band as an eighth grader this past fall as well. Not only is Chris an outstanding percussionist, musician, and section leader, he is also an outstanding member of the Mount Olive Middle School community. Chris has become a true leader of the band and middle school community.