Around the Island

Libby Liszanckie travels to All-State

COURTESY PHOTO | Shelter Island School music teachers Keith Brace and Jessica Bosak traveled to the All-State conference in support of Libby Liszanckie.

Shelter Island School Class of 2014 student and alto Libby Liszanckie was selected to participate in the 2013 New York All-State Mixed Choir.

She traveled to Rochester, and was there from December 5 through 8, to perform in the choir with almost 300 students. There were nine All-State ensembles comprised of 900 students from across New York State. Libby won out over 6,500 students when she auditioned last May.

Shelter Island School has not sent a student to All-State in 22 years. Libby prepared the music with music teachers Jessica Bosak and Keith Brace prior to the trip and practiced for three days in Rochester; the weekend concluded with a performance at Eastman Theater on Sunday morning.

Craig Arnold from the Manhattan Concert Chorale conducted the choir. Among the songs she sang were Hayden’s Kyrie from the Lord Nelson Mass, Rene Clausen’s Jabberwocky and the Star-Spangled Banner — that will come in handy on the Island!

Libby summed up her experience: “I am so honored to have been accepted to this incredible group. I expected this group to be very talented and hardworking. However, I did not expect this place to become a part of me. I didn’t expect to be completely moved by the sound of our voices moving as one. I am so incredibly blessed to have had this experience and am so proud of the music we have created.”