Although senior Eric Reilly received the honor of the 2024-2025 Long Island Scholar-Artist Award as summer faded and the school year began, the award was a testament to his years of unwavering dedication to both music and academics.

Reilly’s love for his craft began in elementary school. Starting on the violin in second grade and beginning the clarinet in third, Reilly was a multi-talented musician from the beginning, and his eagerness to further his skill swelled, even at the age of eight. “My band teacher told me I couldn’t play oboe until I got to a certain level on clarinet, so at some point I did get there on clarinet, and by fourth grade I played oboe,” he remarked. “Basically, the story I tell is that my band teacher said I couldn’t play oboe, so I played it anyway,” Reilly laughed.

The Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA) – a foundation formed in 2003 to offer support for diverse artists throughout the Long Island community – developed the Scholar-Artist Awards program in an effort to represent various talented high school students. Winners are chosen from five different disciplines across artistic fields: visual arts, music, theater, dance, and media arts. Then, one monthly award winner throughout the school year is featured in a Newsday student profile released on his/her respective month. Chosen for the December edition of Newsday, Reilly’s feature will include an article detailing his commitment to both music and his studies, as well as photos of him and his oboe. 

The Scholar-Artist Awards put an explicit focus on the talent of student artists in both their respective art as well as academics, but this was no challenge for Reilly, a multifaceted asset both in the classroom and the concert hall. “I’m pretty much in every ensemble in the school, one way or another,” Reilly said. However, the efforts to balance these involvements, along with two sports (football in the fall and baseball in the spring) and a loaded class schedule, have gone through a process of trial and error. “The short answer is that I just don’t sleep,” Reilly joked. “The other answer is that I made a lot of the stuff I do in school surrounded by music,” he added.

Since fifth grade, Reilly has been involved in several orchestras beyond the halls of LHS. In addition to several private orchestras, including the Long Island Youth Orchestra, Reilly has also been selected to play in the New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) All-State Festival for all three of his instruments, and was selected as an alternate on the oboe last year. “Musically he’s one of those kids that is a rare talent. It takes a lot to pull off a 100 on an All-State [audition], and it takes even more to pull off three 100s, all in the same day,” mused orchestra teacher Veronica Underhill. Reilly also founded Students Gifting Music, a nonprofit which he then turned into a club. The organization aims to bring music to different groups all throughout local communities, particularly in hospitals and nursing homes.

Unaware that the award was even a possible opportunity, Reilly was originally approached by former band teacher Brian White, who suggested that he submit an application for the award. “[Mr. White said], ‘There’s this really prestigious award that I want to recommend you for, but it comes with a really long application.’ And I said, ‘If you think it’s worth it, I’ll do it,’” Reilly explained. He then submitted an application in April (swiftly before a storm of AP exams reached shore), an intense process that asked for transcripts, exam scores, and audition videos. 

White knew that Reilly was the perfect musician to select for the award and had unwavering faith that his hard work would give him a fighting chance in the rigorous selection process. “I was very proud to be the nominating teacher last year, and ecstatic, though not surprised, that he was chosen for the honor. I will always look back at our time together with reverence and fondness. Eric is the type of musician that stops at nothing to master any piece of music he is given.…I envision him playing oboe and the English horn with a major orchestra such as the New York Philharmonic or the Boston Symphony one day,” White commented. 

Academically, Reilly excels, particularly with a propensity for science and mathematics. “He leaves me speechless,” remarked math teacher Maria Mantikas. A testament to his love for both his studies and his musical craft, Reilly plans to double-major in chemistry and music in college. “That’s the kind of musician and student he is,” explained Underhill, “He will take any challenge, he’ll go for it, and he’ll excel.”