Category: Long Island

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame has announced its 2022 Music Scholarship Winners: four Long Island high school graduating seniors from Dix Hills, Manhasset, and Woodbury. These distinction in Music Award Scholarships were awarded to graduating high school seniors who has college plan in music study and further career pursuing.

This year’s winners are Gioianna DiGiorgio and Andrew Arloro, both from Half Hollow Hills High School; Emily Wei from Great Neck North High School; and Stephanie Massimo from Syosset High School.

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is honored to have the opportunity to support and acknowledge accomplished high school seniors who are pursuing a future in music. The talent that exists on Long Island is something we at LIMHoF want to celebrate. In addition to following their own dreams, we believe these students will encourage and inspire others.

Tom Needham, LIMHoF Education Chairman

Gioianna DiGiorgio from Dix Hills (Half Hollow Hills High School West)

Gioianna found her passion in music since a young age. She believes that music is a connection to nature and other people and a beautiful way to tell a story and to express yourself and your emotions.

“As soon as I was old enough to understand the concept of theater, I was enamored with the idea of being on stage, and wanted to be a part of that world. My life-long passion for theater inspires me to push through the challenges so that I can pursue my passion.

– Gioianna DiGiorgio

Gioianna raised her career aspiration from her perform experience in local community theater productions. She became interested in being a soprano singer in musical theater and later a performer for the stage and screen. 

As for the further plan, Gioianna DiGiorgio will be attending Baldwin Wallace University. She is intend to gain the BFA in their Acting program and a music minor. She is expecting to learn music theory and strong skillset to aid her professional life after college with the scholarship from LIMHoF.

Andrew Arloro from Dix Hills (Half Hollow Hills High School East)

Andrew Arloro is a 17-year-old musician who lives on Long Island, New York. He is a recent graduate of Juilliard Pre-College and a current student at Half Hollow Hills High School East.

He has studied the French Horn under fanmous French Horn musicians such as Jen Montone and Jeff Lang, Principal Horn and Associate Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and currently studies with Erik Ralske and Brad Gemeinhardt, Principal Horn and Acting Principal Horn of the Metropolitan Opera.

Andrew is recognized by the Discovery Competition for Children’s Orchestra Society. He also has extensive performing experience from a dozen times’ solos at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and tours in China, Spain, and Italy. He has been awarded the title of Principal Horn in various ensembles, including Juilliard Pre-College, All-State, SCMEA, Children’s Orchestra Society, Gemini Youth Orchestras’ Festival Winds and Symphony, and Cross Campus Wind Ensemble.

Next year, he will continue his studies with Erik Ralske at The Juilliard School, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Performance on the French Horn.

I would like to thank the Long Island Music Hall of Fame for the amazing opportunity to work with them, create with them, and share with the world the Joy of Music.

Andrew

Tiantian “Emily” Wei from Manhasset (Great Neck North High School)

Emily Wei, also called Tiantian Wei, is a graduating Senior at Great Neck North High School. She has been playing both the piano and violin since age 5. In 2021 she went to the Fete De L’ Alto LaSalle Summer Festival (France) and had master classes with Christophe Giovaninetti.

As the German poet E.T.A. Hoffmann said: ‘Where the language stops, the music begins.’ Music has no boundaries. It has unlimited possibilities and tremendous potential to be created and performed to express one’s unique understanding of music and sentiments, and to be shared with other people who may relate and empathize. I think that is the soul, and one of the missions of music is that it inspires and attracts people. It is an honor to be a LIMHoF recipient, I appreciate the recognition from Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

Emily Wei

Emily has won numerous awards for her music talents and has participated in a wide range of performances with various music organizations, including the New Jersey Youth Symphony Orchestra, NYSSMA, All County and All State Symphony Orchestras and more. Her most recent performances are with Great Neck North High School Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and also violin recitals at Oprea America Music Hall and Episcopal Church.

In this fall, Emily will attend Mannes School of Music. She explained her expectation of future that entering the New York Symphony Orchestra or forming her own chamber music group, performing in concert halls all over the world to show the beauty of music and expressing my unique understanding of music.

Stephanie Massimo from Woodbury (Syosset High School)

Stephanie Massimo, a Trombonist graduating from Syosset High School. She started playing the Trombone in second grade. She also plays the bass trombone and baritone horn. Throughout the years, she gained rich ensemble experience in Syosset, Nassau Suffolk, All-County, All-State, All National, and various summer camps. 

I genuinely loved performing with these groups and meeting new people. Music has always been an important part of my life. It wasn’t until recently, though, that I decided to study music in college.

– Stephanie Massimo

In the fall, Stephanie plans to attend the Trombone major in University of Tampa (UT) to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She hopes to further advance her skills in both music and performance with the scholarship from the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Her plans in college is to participate in some UT bands/ensembles then eventually return to NY. She hope to work in a Broadway pit orchestra which allows her to use everything she learn in college while enjoying the music she likes best.