2024-2025 FESTIVAL EVENTS

WINTER NEWSLETTER

Our Instagram Feed

Some of our WCSMA board members got together earlier this week for the first ever summer retreat! It was a great time to connect, discuss goals and procedures, and plan for the upcoming school year! Thank you to @capripizzapasta for having us!
A message from President Jon Riss!
This week, our WCSMA colleagues will volunteer their time to do @nyssma_official Area All-State selection! If you have questions about specific ensembles, please reach out to the appropriate chair. You may also reach out to AAS Coordinator Patrick Murphy or NYSSMA Zone Rep Kimberly Dunkin with overall festival-related questions. Swipe for contact info.
Meet our new All-County Band Co-Coordinator team: Katherine Filatov and Jenny Pyne! KATHERINE has been teaching in @henhudschools since 2018, where she teaches Band, an after-school Wind Ensemble, and Special Ed music at Blue Mountain Middle School. She is also the music team leader at her school. Outside of @henhudmusic, she is a member of the @wswinds, where she is also their Personnel Manager! She has a BM in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from @ithacamtd at @ithacacollege and a Masters in Music Education from @bostonu. FUN FACT: Katherine is a certified scuba diver and has been diving in 5 different countries! JENNY has been teaching in White Plains since 2015, having previously taught in Blind Brook and Manhattan. She currently teaches 5th grade band and 7/8 band, is the assistant Marching Band director at White Plains High School (@wptigerpride!), and runs an after school NYSSMA club for grades 7/8. Her main instrument is flute, and she has been principal flute of the St. Thomas Orchestra since 2002. She also freelances quite often for orchestras/pit musicals/churches in Westchester, CT, and NYC. Jenny has a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from @NYUniversity; and a Masters in Music Education from @manhattanville_university. FUN FACT: Jenny has two sons, Michael and Peter, and enjoys reading and long walks.
Meet our Immediate Past-President, Jamie Stroffolino! Jamie (or “Stroff”, as his students refer to him) is the incoming Band Director at Horace Greeley High School in @chappaqua_csd. Previously, he was teaching Chorus, Chamber Choir, and Philharmonia at Walter Panas High School in the Lakeland School District since 2012. He conducted their musicals and served as Music Department Chair. Prior to Lakeland, he taught in the Carmel school district for four years. Jamie did his Bachelors of Music at @thecraneschool at @sunypotsdam, a Masters in Multicultural Education from @sunynewpaltz, and then a degree in School Leadership from New Paltz. Jamie’s main instrument is drums. FUN FACT: Jamie has completed 85 marathons and 2 Ironmans!
Meet our President-Elect, Kathleen Feldman! Kathleen has taught music in the @chappaqua_csd since 2005, where she is the orchestra director at Horace Greeley High School. She holds degrees in Violin Performance from @purchasecollege (SUNY), Music Education from @manhattanville_university (MAT), and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from @bostonu. She is the conductor of the @gwyoa Youth Symphony and has served as guest conductor for several regional orchestras. She is excited to return to the WCSMA Board for another round of a six year presidential term. FUN FACT: Kathleen loves rollercoasters!

July 1, 2024

Dear WCSMA Colleagues:

 

Happy summer!  As I write the first President’s message for the two years that I will be serving you in this role, I am ever so eager to write about how excited I am to roll up my sleeves and collaborate with you in furthering music education in Westchester County.

But I’ll save that for August!  We are in the midst of arguably the shortest two months of the year in the life of a teacher – our time to rest, recharge, and regroup ahead of the critical work that we do for our children and families from September to June.  I sincerely hope that each of you is taking time to do each of these three R’s ahead of us returning to school at the end of August.

So in the meantime, first please take a moment to ensure that you have noted the 2024-25 Festival Dates in your calendar.

Second, a big thank you and congratulations are in order for our now-immediate Past President, Jamie Stroffolino.  He beautifully outlined in his May 18 farewell message a few of the many wonderful things accomplished by the WCSMA Board and all of you during his tenure as President.  However, Jamie is too modest to also share that in the last nine months of his presidency, he has led us through multiple transitions as an organization while simultaneously navigating his own transitions of getting ready to start a new job and preparing for and ultimately welcoming a new baby in May.  So make sure you heartily thank Jamie the next time you see him!

Finally, I look forward to building on this work with the WCSMA Board of Directors and you over the next two years.  I am here to be supportive of each of you musically, pedagogically, and personally.  In that spirit, I’d love to hear from each of you about your experiences as a WCSMA member via this brief survey.  I too am resting, recharging, and regrouping this summer, but know that my door as your President remains wide open.  I am around throughout the summer save for the first half of July and the middle two weeks of August – when I am in town, I will usually be able to answer emails within a few hours; it may take a few days when I am away.  At any point during the summer if you have any need that I can help with or anything you wish to share with me as your President, please don’t hesitate to write!

Enjoy your summer, and we’ll see you at the start of the school year!

 

Best wishes,

Jon Riss, WCSMA President

rissj@hohschools.org