4 local high school singers perform with BPO

Photo courtesy of Ric Jones: High school students from Medina, Albion and Lyndonville are shown with the choir, singing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday. Students who were chosen to participate were Ryder Jones, Emily Geiger, Noah Fox and Ella Trupo.

Students from Medina, Albion and Lyndonville had the honor to sing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s Aspiring Voices program

The director of the BPO chorus reached out to chorus directors from Erie, Niagara and Orleans counties and invited them to nominate two of their top singers, one female and one male, said Jennifer Neroni-Trupo, music teacher at Lyndonville High School. There were 20 high school students total who participated from across Western New York, she said.

Neroni-Trupo nominated Noah Fox, a tenor, and Hannah Marker, an alto, from Lyndonville. Hannah, however, wasn’t able to participate because she was performing in the Nutcracker on the same dates. Neroni-Trupo’s stepdaughter Ella Trupo, a senior at Albion High School, was selected from Albion.

“It was such an honor for the students,” Neroni-Trupo said. “As a performer, I love working with an orchestra. I remember as a student, my first time performing with the RPO with a choir and loving every moment of it. I’m so happy these students have that same opportunity now. I’m so proud of every one of them.”

Ric Jones said his son Ryder had a wonderful time and was incredibly honored to be chosen to sing with the BPO.

“We are incredibly proud of Ryder and all of the students selected for this honor,” Ric said. “It was wonderful to see and hear them perform. What an incredible experience to be able to perform with the world-renowned musicians and under the baton of Joanne Faletta.”

Emily Geiger of Medina said participating in an ensemble of this caliber is something she will never forget.

“It was truly an incredible opportunity and I am so thankful to have been selected to participate this year,” she said.

This is the second year of the Aspiring Voices Program, in which Medina first participated last year. Singers attended rehearsals on Monday evenings in preparation for the concerts

Two other Medina students, Riley Tompkins and Ava Blount are performing with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Kodak Hall on today and on Dec. 20.