An Eastchester Senior High School senior and an Eastchester Middle School sixth grader will head to Rochester in December after earning spots at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Winter Conference.

The Eastchester Union Free School District announced Friday, Sept. 18, that Matthew Gutierrez was selected for the NYSSMA All-State Mixed Choir and Natalie Leighton was chosen for the Young Composer Showcase. The conference runs Dec. 3–6.

NYSSMA All-State ensembles draw roughly 825 of the top student musicians from school music programs across New York. Eight groups covering band, chorus, orchestra and jazz perform at the annual conference under guest conductors.

Gutierrez prepared 'Maria' for All-State audition

Gutierrez, a tenor who has sung in both the EHS Chamber Choir and EHS Mixed Choir throughout high school, prepared the song "Maria" from West Side Story for his audition. He worked with Choral Director Jeremy Messmer on the piece.

Though Gutierrez participated in NYSSMA All-County ensembles in middle school, the All-State audition was his first at the high school level. He decided to try.

"I wanted to experience it before I graduated; all of my friends were doing these auditions for trumpet and band," Gutierrez said. "So, I thought I'd give it a shot, even though I wasn't really expecting much."

He said he felt good about the solo but was less confident about the sight-reading portion, and was surprised to learn he scored well on both.

Gutierrez was also nominated for a Metro Award last spring alongside Samuel Frederick for their ensemble performance as Gus and Ralph in the EHS Players Club production of Groundhog Day.

Leighton's original composition

Leighton, a violinist and pianist now in sixth grade at Eastchester Middle School, earned her spot by submitting an original composition called "Bouncy Fun." She wrote the piece as a fifth grader at Anne Hutchinson School.

She described the composition as bouncy, with a surprise in the middle.

At the conference, Young Composer Showcase participants work with professional composers in workshops to refine their pieces. Leighton said she is looking forward to getting more feedback on her song.