After an interesting demonstration of various musical instruments when he was a first grader in the Gananda Central School District, young Matteo Botelho decided then he would someday play the flute.
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Three years later, when he became at student at Kelley Intermediate School, Botelho got his chance and began learning how to play the instrument from the school’s Instrumental music teacher Cindy Briggs.
He loved it.
So much so that he played flute in the fourth and fifth grade bands at Kelley School and continued in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade bands at Newark Middle School under the direction of Rebekah Valerio.
Now a senior at Newark High School Botelho plays flute in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Fusion under the direction of Robert Humphrey, the school’s instrumental music teacher.
His prowess as a flutist enabled him to participate in New York State School Music Association’s (NYSSMA) Area All State Music festivals as a junior and senior and the Wayne County Music Educators Association’s (WCMEA) All-County Band last year.
Last April, Botelho successfully auditioned to become one of two open flutist chairs in the upcoming 2025-26 Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (RPYO) season.
A program of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) Education Department, the RPYO, in association with the Eastman Community Music School (ECMS), motivates its student musicians to achieve excellence in performance and develop a life-long love of music.
Since 1970, the RPYO has offered our community’s most advanced young musicians’ orchestral experiences of the highest order. More than 2,200 of the Rochester area’s most talented musicians have experienced the challenges and rewards of learning symphonic masterworks while playing in the RPYO.
More than 200 of them have performed in professional music ensembles, including other major symphony orchestras. Five RPYO alumni currently perform with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Hundreds have become dedicated music educators more than 30 in Rochester area schools as well as composers, conductors, and arts administrators.
Since late August, Botelho has spent three hours each Sunday afternoon rehearsing with the RPYO.
Its first performance this season was a one-hour concert at the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp September 28th. The RPYO’s 90-minute fall concert, co-conducted by RPO’s Principal Pops Conductor, Jeff Tyzik, and RPO 3rd Trumpet, Herb Smith, was held at the Hochstein School November 23rd.
The RPYO will perform in a 90-minute Side-by-Side Concert with the RPO at 3 p.m. March 1st in Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theater. And the RPYO’s final, 90-minute concert performance will be June 1 in the same location at 7:30 p.m..
Botelho, who plans on pursuing an instrumental performance track in college, beginning next fall, said he really likes the experience of performing with the RPYO.
“Playing in the RPYO is a true honor,” he said. “It is a privilege to play with such a talented group under the guidance of the RPO conductors. Sharing the stage with them and with the RPO in Kodak Hall is an experience I will never forget."
“Not often enough do we have the chance to see the hard work that great kids are doing be acknowledge and rewarded,” Humphrey said. “Matteo is a very fine young musician who deserves
every accolade which he receives. He is a model student, mature beyond his years, and serves as a role model and inspiration to his peers. I am so happy he earned this coveted spot and look forward to his successes!”
Briggs, who is also the PreK-12 Music Department Leader, is thrilled about Botelho performing with the RPYO, but not surprised.
“Matteo was very eager to learn the flute from the start and was a hard worker and very talented. I’m not at all surprised at his success. I don’t believe we’ve had a Newark student perform in the RPYO since Kelsey Williams was at NHS about 12 years ago. This is a big deal!”
"I know the high standard the RPYO upholds,” Valerio said. “Matteo's acceptance is a tremendous acknowledgement of his musicianship, passion and work ethic. It's no surprise that Matteo is there, though. Even from a young age he was an eager learner, expressive musician and natural leader."
In addition to playing the flute and related instruments, Botelho began playing Bari sax last year and plays guitar.
When he spent a year in Brazil with his family as a sophomore, he took private flute lessons and now receives them from Laura Lentz in Brighton.
Botelho is also a vocal musician at NHS and is a member of Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz and is performing in the upcoming Newark Drama Club’s performance of “Legally Blonde” in March.