Grace Music School Debuts at Carnegie Hall
GET STARTEDNorthport, NY – December 3, 2015 Carnegie Hall is one of the most celebrated music venues in the world with a rich history of outstanding performers and memorable concerts. And now, one of Long Island’s own music schools will be joining the ranks of those musical greats when twenty-four students and eleven faculty members from Grace Music School take center stage at Carnegie’s Weill Hall on December 11th.
“We are excited to provide this opportunity to our students,” said Grace Heaphy, the school’s Director and a graduate of Manhattan School of Music. “I’m so impressed with how hard they are working—I’m hearing improvement every day. Preparing for this concert is motivating our students to do their best and is something our students will remember forever.”
Grace Music School was founded in 2011 and teaches music to 350 students from Northport and the surrounding areas. It distinguishes itself by providing students with a variety of performance opportunities to help develop them into excellent musicians. “Going to Carnegie Hall was the next logical step for our school” said Grace, “and we are considering other exciting venues in the future such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.”
“I’m so excited, and also a little nervous,” said Natalie Thieke who is playing the piano and performing selections from Debussy Children’s Corner. She along with other performers, including other pianists, vocalists, and a wide variety of instrumentalists and chamber groups, are debuting the pieces they’ve been working on since the summer.
The concert is also a fundraiser for the Northport Music Department. Northport has a proud history as a leader for the advancement of arts and music. In particular, Northport High School has a nationally recognized music program, which Grace Heaphy graduated from in 2007. Approximately $2,000 raised from ticket sales is being contributed to purchase a travel keyboard for the Northport High School Tour Choir, wireless microphones for musicals, and scholarships for deserving students. Grace stated, “I am so grateful for the music foundation the school provided; so it is nice to have this opportunity to help the school in this way.”
The concert will begin with a Broadway favorite from the play “Showboat,” and will feature Northport native Rob Murphy and Alissa Corrao from Commack, both of whom attended Manhattan School of Music with Ms. Heaphy. There will also be a premier of a new piece commissioned for this concert, called “Shout for Joy,” that includes an interesting combination of piano, saxophone and flute. The competition winners of the North Shore Youth Ensemble Program, a chamber program the school offers in partnership with the Long Island Violin Shop, will also be performing. Grace added that “the audience will not be disappointed with the wide selection of music ranging from Beethoven to Andrew Lloyd Weber, highlighting a variety of the performers talents and interests.”
Centrally located on Suffolk County’s North Shore, Grace Music School draws students locally and from many of the surrounding communities. It a Steinway Piano Education Partner and provides students at least four performance opportunities a year. Grace was recognized in May 2014 as one of 30 under 30 on Long Island for making a positive contribution in her community and profession.