Ranney Students Share the Gift of Music

Accompanied by advisor Lilly Torrente and several Ranney family members, 12 Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society students traveled to Watchung, New Jersey on January 29, 2011. Sacrificing extra hours of sleep on their Saturday morning, the group headed to McAuley Hall Health Care Center to share the gift of music and lift the spirits of residents there.

During an hour-long visit within the beautifully adorned McAuley Hall Chapel, students offered song and dance, piano selections and forensics skits to an audience of approximately 40 seniors receiving care at the center. Song selections included show tunes such as “Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair” from the Broadway musical South Pacific and “Part of That World” featured in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. In addition George Timmins ’15 offered popular Christian songs like “Here I am Lord” and “Fly Like a Bird,” while students Chloe Triolo ’15 and Sallie Haas ’16 performed the modern-day Pop Ballads “Brand New Key” and “Drops of Jupiter.”

Piano selections throughout the morning included a solo performance from Audra Smires ’16, and forensic performances consisted of the Neil Simon skit “The Odd Couple” by both Audra and Kyra Citron ’16, along with a story-telling treat of “Narcissus in Echo” from Sallie Haas.

Following all performances and a dance to “Jai Ho” by Ruchi Raval ’16 and Sana Zaidi ’16, the group then retreated to a local pizzeria where they celebrated an outstanding morning over lunch. While their dedication to music truly touched the hearts of residents at the center, it will continue to do so in the future as well. In maintaining an outstanding commitment of service to those within the Ranney community and its surrounding areas, the Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society has already accepted an invitation to return to McAuley Hall later in the year!

Congratulations to all Ranney students possessing the musical talent to make a difference in the lives of others. The following Tri-M® and Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society members have shown that continuing with their general music education and pursuing music at a higher level has had a recent positive impact on both themselves and those around them:

• Sabrina Park ’15- 1st Violin: Central Jersey Regional Intermediate Orchestra
• Anna Xia ’15- 2nd Chair Flute: All-Shore Intermediate Band and CJMEA Region 2 Intermediate Band
• Noah Goldstein ’14- Bass: All-Shore Chorus
• Christa Dalmazio ’12- Soprano: All-State Women’s Chorus
• Megan Sherow ’13- Soprano: All-State Women’s Chorus

*The above programs are sponsored by the Music Educators’ National Conference (MENC) and sanctioned by the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Additionally, Christa Dalmazio qualified for first round of Classical Singer Magazine’s High School Vocal Competition and will be competing in the second round, which takes place in Los Angeles, California in May. And, Tor Miller ’12, Mike Morrongiello ’11 and Joseph DiSalvo ’11 of The Tor Miller Band were named first-round winners in the 2011 The Break Contest — a regional contest for emerging pop and rock bands.