On the evening of April 28th, 2026, the Rocky Point Music Department’s annual “Jazz Night” took place. During one of the final days of Jazz Appreciation Month, the Rocky Point Middle School and High School Guitar Ensembles, Middle School and High School Select Choirs, and the Middle School and High School Jazz Ensembles each performed upbeat, entertaining and challenging sets of music.
 
The Middle School Guitar Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Dave Ventura, opened the show with a wonderful performance. The students, all with a varying level of experience, put on a wonderful performance. Their set included, “West Coast Blues” and the Cream classic, “Sunshine of Your Love.” The High School Guitar Ensemble, also under the direction of Mr. Dave Ventura, performed challenging selections with some well-known crowd pleasers. Soloists included Ian Dowling and David Estrada Escobar. Mr. Ventura and the students had lots of fun during their sets.
 
The Middle School Select Choir, under the direction of Mr. Hayden Aron, performed a set of various pop music favorites, including, “Africa” from the band Toto. Soloists included Kenley Sontag, Brionna Nace and Grace Moriarty. The High School Select Choir, under the direction of Miss Jessica Spitz, performed an incredible set of all a cappella music. In this group, Miss Spitz empowers the students to select the repertoire. Additionally, student section leaders are responsible for running portions of the rehearsals to reinforce the parts. This approach to student-centered learning provides a sense of ownership for the members of the choir.
 
The Middle School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Vincent Ragona, played a delightful collection of jazz classics and rock standards. Their set was highlighted by a “25 or 6 to 4,” made famous by the band Chicago. The High School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Ms. Kyra Kenwood, performed a program of jazz and popular selections and standards. Soloists included Alicia Santos, Jake Scheffer, Brielle Merlo, Jeremy Moriarty, Nate Watkis, Oliver Fiore and Grayson Steigerwald.
 
This concert was an especially wonderful showcase for the Rocky Point High School Jazz Ensemble, who under the direction of Kyra Kenwood, participated in an educational clinic and performance as part of the Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association (SCMEA) “Day of Jazz” in February. During the event, Miss Kenwood and the students had the opportunity to work closely with a professional jazz saxophonist who served as a guest clinician. They performed two jazz selections, and then received valuable feedback on their performance. Students were offered insight to help sharpen their individual skills and the group was provided guidance in several areas to continue to learn and grow as an ensemble. Miss Kenwood and the students also took part in a clinic led by a professional jazz ensemble, gaining insight into jazz techniques, improvisation, ensemble musicianship and community building. During this session, students had the opportunity to perform alongside professional musicians, where they gained valuable experience in the art of jazz performance and developing teamwork through performing and listening.
 
Rocky Point Jazz Night was the perfect way to bring Jazz Appreciation Month to a close. Jazz Appreciation Month (fondly known as "JAM") was created at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in 2001 to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz for the entire month of April. JAM is intended to stimulate and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz - to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and more.
 
A congratulatory message from Rocky Point Music Department chairpersons Mr. Craig Knapp and Ms. Amy Schecher read: “Congratulations to all of the students in the guitar, vocal, and jazz ensembles who worked so hard for the many months leading into Jazz Night. Many of your rehearsals were in the evenings and you are to be acknowledged for managing your busy schedules in order to be involved. Your dedication to each other and to the music department is uplifting! Thank you to Mr. Ventura for providing the opportunity for the guitar students to prosper in Rocky Point. We are very lucky to be one of the few Long Island public schools to offer a program for guitar students. Thank you to Mr. Aron and Miss Spitz for providing an outlet for vocal students to work on and explore music not typically performed in the traditional choral setting. Thank you to Mr. Ragona and Ms. Kenwood for creating an environment where all instrumentalists feel welcome and can be successful. It’s not very often you hear an oboist in a jazz band! Thank you and congratulations to all of the students on a wonderful set of performances. It was a fun evening of music and we were very impressed with the level of talent and musicianship demonstrated at the Jazz Night concert. It was fabulous to see and hear the students explore and perform a variety of musical genres in their sets. We are particularly grateful for how our music staff creates an inclusive environment of respect, acceptance and support within their respective ensembles, which are comprised of students with varied levels of skill. We are extremely proud of all of the students involved. Thank you to the families of these talented students for all of their support and encouragement. Thank you to all of the administrators and Board of Education members in Rocky Point for their continued support of our music programs. Thank you to all involved in making Jazz night a fun-filled evening of music!”