A multitude of student instrumentalists, vocalists, actors, and actresses devote their time and talent to LHS’s music department, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society’s annual Cabaret Night provides them an opportunity to showcase their abilities each year. This year’s Cabaret Night was held on the evening of Friday, Jan. 24, with a packed cafeteria full of families, friends, relatives, alumni, teachers, and Lynbrook residents.
The evening consisted of 18 performances and was hosted by Tri-M President and Vice President Gianna Longo and Liam Mylan, respectively. These performances ranged from solo vocalists, to small instrumental groups, and even large ensembles. “I truly think that this Cabaret Night was one of the best we’ve had in so many years. Every single act this year was top tier, so well prepared, rehearsed, full of talent, and I really think it’s a testament to how hard all the students who performed work to make their performances as amazing as they were. It is also really valuable to see everyone’s hard work pay off and to also see them grow,” Longo explained.
As attendees entered, the LHS Brass Ensemble performed a variety of tunes under the direction of band teacher Zachary Rifkind. The ensemble features trumpets, trombones, baritones, percussion, a French horn, and a soprano saxophone.
Act One began at 7:00 pm, with Longo starting the show for the second year in a row. She sang the number “Cabaret” from the hit musical Cabaret. Student instrumentalists began to take the stage as junior Naseer Gaffoor and Tri-M treasurer and senior Brady Rogan paired on the clarinet Beatles medley, followed by Lara Vardar’s vocals accompanied by by junior Cathlyne Cueto on violin for “Pure as the Driven Snow.”
As the first large ensemble of the evening, seniors Eric Reilly and Simon Yu and juniors Hayden Rosa and Nycollet Altamirano teamed up for an instrumental rendition of Billy Joel’s “Turn the Lights Back On,” arranged by Reilly. Next, Mylan captured the audience’s hearts with his performance of “All I Ask” by Adele. Following Mylan, senior Shannon Mansfield sang and played acoustic guitar for “You Can Sleep While I Drive” by Melissa Etheridge.
The act continued with a duet: sophomores Connor Buxton and Lily Sloan performed an emotional ballad, “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron. While Buxton sang the melody, Sloan harmonized and played the electric guitar. After Buxton and Sloan’s performance, senior Jack Ceglie took to the stage with “Waving through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen. “Mr. Wyner came to me with the initial idea to do ‘Waving through a Window,’ and it felt strange at first, but after sitting with it, I found there was so much more meaning behind the lyrics that a lot of kids, myself included, could connect with and [feel] seen. I knew if I could give that to someone, then I’d be happy,” Ceglie shared. To conclude Act One, junior Molly Schutzman sang “Someone Like You” from Jekyll & Hyde.
After a brief intermission, another large ensemble took the stage to perform “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic. Sophomores Bennett Franklin, Delia Kirkpatrick, Ian Fishman, David Soroka, and Sloan played their instruments, supporting Buxton as he sang the melody; junior Grayson Prestianni served as the percussionist. Junior Sophia Schoen sang “Broadway, Here I Come” from SMASH, and junior Eric Matern and senior Andrew Malinka performed Vivaldi’s cello concerto turned “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. Both Malinka and Matern had their entire act memorized, from beginning to end, and brought out electric cellos. A complete 180 from Malinka and Matern’s heavy metal, juniors Angelina Macchia and Nicholas Sferrazza singing “Love Flew Away” by growing pop artist Laufey. Junior Jackson Reiser accompanied them on the acoustic guitar.
To close this night of unique performances, an ensemble of its own took the stage: Justin Williams, Eric Reilly, Simon Yu, Timothy Neri, and Grayson Prestianni performed “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Williams rapped the song while the other performers played their instruments consisting of an electric violin, the drums, a keyboard, and an electric guitar. The act stood out due to its unmatchable energy.
Once again, Cabaret Night was a huge success, showcasing and celebrating the many talents of the individuals involved in the music department. “From the time of auditions to Cabaret Night, many of the acts really greatly improved. I work with some of the acts personally, and if not, I hear daily practicing through the walls of my office or classroom. The technical skill gets better like playing the right notes, fixing arrangements or tempos, and things like that. But also showmanship takes another step forward too,” chorus teacher Timothy Waldvogel explained. Despite all the hard work, long rehearsals, and preparation required for such an evening, the outcome proved to be remarkable for both audiences and performers alike.
