In response to Radhika Shah's letter

To the editor: In response to Radhika Shah’s letter, on March 17, I appreciate her discussing the Warwick high school’s music departments’ tour de force presentation a few weeks ago, because it reminded me to publicly recognize the department’s extraordinary hard work, and the fulfilling experience that was afforded the audience during that very well attended event. For those of us who have been pro-active in striving toward excellence in the department for many years, finally, we have a music department we tax payers can feel very good about. Choral director Lois Heller has for years been the cornerstone of the burgeoning department. I’ve never experienced a marginal performance by her students. String teacher Keely Gould has built a string program, from literally nothing, to an orchestra of near symphony proportions. And band leader Chris Persad, a highly recognized artist in his own right (how many school districts can make such a claim), has morphed his ensembles from extreme embarrassment before his arrival as a high school staff member, into organizations that are finally recognized throughout the county as forces to be reckoned with. It was only a few short years ago when, at all county music festivals, there was a lone “WV” name on the roster. Now Warwick Valley has become almost as prominent as Monroe-Woodbury, the high school with the most accomplished music students. Mr. Persad, in the last three years, has invited local artists of high stature to work and perform with our students, notably drummer Eddie Colon, a Latin-jazz drummer with “Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers;” noted conductor and clarinetist, David Dworkin, and most recently, local keyboard legend and composer, Richard Kimball. The opportunity of having our young adults working alongside such pros requires much foresight on the part of the educator, and affords aspiring musicians the opportunity to rise to higher levels. One of Radhika Shah’s contentions was that featuring a teacher as a soloist was “inappropriate.” I tend to disagree. My sense is that the soloist exercised discretion, and that his performance gave the students under his tutelage a first-hand sense of the hard work it takes in becoming an accomplished musician. It also gives parents the opportunity to get a better sense about the level of artistry inherent to our music department. To my recollection, it was the only time in all the years I have been attending Mr. Persad’s concerts that he took such liberties. It was not my feeling that there was any attempt to upstage the students. Traditionally, conductors tend to take more liberties during ‘pop’ concerts than during more traditional presentations. Students who eventually become serious concert attendees will learn this. So, from an educational and experiential perspective, this is quite acceptable. It actually makes the concert more dynamic. We as parents can discuss this matter ad nauseum. I believe it might be in the best interest for the music department or an administrator to take this matter to the music students for their consideration. How do they feel about their teachers performing at their concerts? Let the students have the last word. Russ Layne Warwick Editor’s note: Two other people also submitted letters on this topic. Those letters, by Virginia Snigur and Katheryn Bisaro, appear on our Web site (www.warwickadvertiser.com).