Newark High School sophomore Anthony Humphrey has been a percussion instrument enthusiast since he was very young.
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Now, years later at NHS, he plays percussion in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and “Fusion.” Last May his solo audition on snare drum, timpani and marimba at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Solo Festival at the Gates-Chili High School qualified him to apply to become a member of the Hochstein Youth Wind Symphony and in November learned he’d been accepted.
The Youth Wind Symphony (YWS) is the flagship ensemble of the band program at the Hochstein School in Rochester. It is open to advanced woodwind, percussion, and brass players in grades 9-12 and performs level V and VI wind ensemble repertoire.
Participation in this high school wind ensemble allows students to broaden their wind band experience. The 5-week session ends with a concert on Saturday, February 7th at 7:30 p.m. at the Hochstein School at 50 North Plymouth Avenue in Rochester.
So, for the next four Saturday’s, beginning January 10th, Humphrey will be rehearsing with the YWS in preparation for next month’s concert.
Humphrey, who until he was a freshman at NHS, attended St. Francis/St. Stephens School in Geneva from PreK to 8th grade. When he was in 6-8 grades, he participated in the Finger Lakes Music Educator’s Association’s (FLMEA) All County Band Festivals.
Last year he was a member of the Wayne County Music Educators Association’s (WCMEA) All-County Band and was a member of Nazareth University’s Honor Band.
At NHS, Humphrey is also a vocal musician participating in Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz. He will be a member of the Ensemble in Newark Drama Club’s presentation of “Legally Blonde” in March.
For several years, he also has been taking private drum set lessons at Mobile Music in Canandaigua, beginning with Jason Leach, who is now the owner of Mobile Music and Will Hope who gives lessons there.
Humphrey’s dad, Robert Humphrey, NHS instrumental music teacher who directs the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Concert Band and “Fusion,’’ is very proud his son has been selected to perform in Hochstein’s YWS.
"Anthony has always been a hard worker who practices every day in multiple areas of percussion. He is always seeking out more performance opportunities because he loves to play music, and he finds it rewarding to perform with kids who share his passion. He and I have played professionally together and getting to see the joy in him as his conductor, fellow performer, and dad makes me proud beyond words; especially because the work is his own.”