By Karis Fuller
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Several students and alumni participated in the New York State Field Band Conference (NYSFBC) for high schools on Oct. 27 and 28. Held at the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University, it was the finale to eight weekends of competition starting at the beginning of September all over N.Y. state.
The competition consisted of 53 high school marching bands; some bands included LIU Post students and alumni performing with their former high schools. They competed in six different classifications: small school class (SS), large school class (LS) and National (Nat). Within these school classes, there are different categories, SS1-3 and LS2-3. The bands were judged and scored in six categories encompassing both musical and visual elements.
Alumni and one current student from the music department put many hours into these performances. Two members of Minneola’s band are from LIU Post. Minneola High school took first place in the SS2 classification, allowing it to choose to move up to SS1 for next year’s competition.
Current graduate student Kenneth Kamping was music arranger, visual designer and visual instructor for the band, and alumnus Zachary St. John was the band’s assistant director. Kamping also assisted Sachem High School to its ninth place finish in the LS2.
Alumni Nicholas Hall and Matthew Nobile helped Division Avenue High School place fifth in the SS2 category. Hall and Nobile played percussion for the performance, with Hall also assisting Brentwood High School place ninth in the national class. Alumnus Frank Mauriello was the band director for Roslyn High School, which placed ninth in the SS2 category.
Director of wind studies and music professor Dr. James McRoy was one of the adjudicators for the event. “I’ve been judging this event for about 14 years,” McRoy said. He was impressed with the dedication of the students and support staff that participated in this event, and the pleasure he still gets after many years of involvement, especially seeing Post alumni and students perform.
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