Wantagh High School’s music ensembles had a weekend to remember during the Music in the Parks Festival in Hershey, Pa. The music department brought him six trophies from the April 25-26 competition.  

With ratings of “excellent,” both the chorus and orchestra earned second place. Wantagh’s bands were frequently on the podium. With a rating of “excellent,” the Symphonic Band earned third place. The Concert Band received second place and the Wind Ensemble earned first place, both garnering “superior” ratings. The band also received recognition for overall excellence. 

Individual honors included Ashlee Fucarino winning as best vocal soloist and Adrian DeChavez named best student accompanist.

Nearly 200 Wantagh music students traveled to the event, guided by music teachers Danilo Aviles, Sameerah Cassidy, Christopher Cockren and Eliza DellaMonica. 

Music In The Parks festival performances and amusement park visit is designed to be a fun and educational experience. It provides opportunities for musical growth beyond spring concert season and motivates students to both remain engaged and come back the next year. Experienced instrumental and vocal teachers offer suggestions on how to improve each group’s performance, with master adjudicators evaluating hundreds of ensembles throughout the course of a festival season.