Hampton Bays Student Trumpeter to Perform at Prestigious All-State Festival

A Hampton Bays High School student will play the trumpet alongside the All-State band at the prestigious 2024 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Festival — considered the highest honor a student musician can achieve.

Aaren Arias, a junior, was one of more than 6,000 students statewide to audition in March and learned last month he was one of just 600 who made the cut to perform at the festival in Rochester this fall.

“I’m really really excited that I got into All-State,” Arias said, noting that this was not the first time he auditioned in person to perform at the festival. “It’s always been a dream. I’ve always looked up to the older kids and wanted to be like them.”

Students auditioning prepare with their music teachers by perfecting a NYSSMA level VI solo. Only students who earn a score of 98-100 and have a school recommendation can advance. These students can only be in 10th or 11th grade to audition.

Arias began playing the trumpet when he was four. Although he started so young, Arias only began lessons once he started playing at school in the fourth grade. Before that he played on his own and with his mother, sharing their joy for the music.

“My mom gave me a trumpet and I just never stopped playing,” he said. “I’ve been glued ever since. My mom played the trumpet and she got me into it.”

The trumpet is more than an instrument for the up-and-coming student.

“It’s sort of like an outlet,” he added. “When I’m practicing I only focus on that. It’s a good escape I would say. Music has been a part of my life forever.”

Because of his deep connection to the trumpet, his determination to thrive in it shows in his accomplishments. He carried that drive with him since starting at elementary school in the William Floyd School District, later attending Bellport Middle School before he moved to the Hamptons.

Now at Hampton Bays High School, Arias is not only in band class, he is also in jazz band and Advanced Placement music theory. This may seem like a lot to juggle, but for a someone with a passion for music, this is just where he wants to be and which allowed him to be eligible to audition for the festival.

He says it first begins with picking out a piece, him choosing the “Trumpet Sonata” by Paul Hindemith.

“You want to pick a competitive piece because you’re competing against everyone in the state,” he says. “You have a six month prep period, I guess, you practice really hard and hope for the best.”

Following the acceptance, Arias will head upstate to Rochester in December for the performance. The music and instructions will be mailed to Arias and other students in October to prepare. With only three rehearsals, the pressure is on for the students to get it right for the festival. Observers are allowed to attend the performance, but no audio or video recording will be allowed.

During the festival, Arias and other students will be performing with well-known conductors and other musically talented individuals. They will also be evaluated on their performance.

Although it’s his first time performing with the All-State band, he has previously performed at the county festivals in Suffolk.

Getting into the All-State band is great for students who wish to further their education in music. Arias hopes to do just that after graduation. He plans to apply for Juilliard’s pre-college program and to play in as many community bands as he can to build connections to achieve his goals for the future.

“Maybe it’s a reach, but if I get into Juilliard I would like to major in performance there,” he said. “That would be really awesome.”

For more information on the festival, visit nyssma.org/parents-students/the-all-state-process