Say Hello to Your 2020 NYSSMA All-State Champion

 By Keenbelynn Bellande

The students of West Hempstead High School are constantly excelling in not only the classrooms, but also in extracurricular activities. A recent and perfect  example is one of our current seniors, Jonathan Douglas. Douglas arrived in West Hempstead during 10th grade. He made a wonderful first impression on practically everyone. Little did we know this new student would later have a huge impact on both his peers and teachers. 

When referring to Jonathan, many of his peers described him as, “eccentric, outgoing, and funny.” Throughout his time in West Hempstead, Douglas has not been shy in letting his voice be heard, in classrooms and on stage. In turn, his charisma has inspired many other students toward becoming more comfortable in their own skin and becoming more outspoken. All of these key traits and characteristics have contributed to Jonathan’s success today. 

Recently, Jonathan, led by Ms. Nicole Blier of our Music department, was selected as a member of the 2020 NYSSMA All State Choral Ensemble. The last time this occurred was in the 1995-1996 school year, that's nearly 30 years ago! The big question in need of answering is: How did Douglas and Blier manage to end this 25 year long trend? 

They prepared for this big moment by first attending the All County Music Festival, along with current junior, Sofia Varone. Additionally, they worked countless hours, during and after school, to refine his solo for the NYSSMA festival.  In preparing for the NYSSMA festival, choosing the perfect song was integral to Jonathan’s success at this event. Blier and Douglas were torn between “Se Tu M’ami” written and composed by Alessandro Parisotti and “It Ain’t Necessarily So” from Porgy and Bess. After careful consideration, Blier and Douglas agreed on “It Ain’t Necessarily So” from Porgy and Bess. This piece held historical significance in that it featured an entire cast of trained African American singers which was a rarity at the time. This musical helped many singers of color establish their careers on Broadway. Blier felt that Jonathan’s voice encompassed the emotions and vocal power portrayed in this piece like no other could have.

In order to gain more insight on the day of the audition itself, Douglas described a frightful feeling. He felt as if he was “presented a major opportunity” and did not want to let Blier down after all of their hard work. One major component of that audition was sight reading, the practice of reading and performing a given piece without any prior knowledge of said piece. Regardless of the fact that this component was the most difficult for Douglas to master, he scored a 9/10. Bliers confidence in Douglas never waivered through it all and she wasn’t even slightly surprised when she heard of his success. 

So what will be the next step for both Blier and Douglas? Jonathan is currently searching for the right colleges and gaining scholarships that will help further his career as a singer. Blier hopes all the best  for Jonathan's future endeavours. She hopes to see him pursue a career in music, including musical education, vocal performance, or musical theatre. According to Blier, he holds a lot of potential for whichever career path he chooses. In terms of the music program, Blier wants to continue to get more students involved and participating in the NYSSMA festival. There is a lot of untapped potential for the upcoming underclassmen in the musical program. 

With that being said, Blier left us with some words of wisdom for the aspiring musicians and singers of West Hempstead High School. She noted, “When it comes to music, if you're passionate about it, you can most certainly be successful.” The future of the music program is in your hands, West Hempstead. To quote Douglas, “Don’t hesitate to pursue what you're passionate about.” Take heed of these tips.