FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com december 4, 2014 • The Courier sun 39 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECORD HOLIDAY SONGS AT KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] @aaltamirano28 The holidays arrived early in Astoria this year for a group of high school students with dreams of becoming professional musicians. Members of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts a cappella concert choir were invited on Dec. 1 to record two holiday songs at one of Kaufman Astoria Studios’ recording studios and one of the largest in the city, KAS Music & Sound. The invitation came through Kaufman Astoria Studios and the nonprofit Exploring the Arts, which was founded by Tony Bennett, who also founded the high school. The group of about 55 students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, recorded “Silver Bells” and an arrangement of “Deck the Halls.” Joe Castellon, executive director of KAS Music & Sound, oversaw the recording and gave his tips to the young aspiring singers. Once he has finished editing the two songs, Castellon will give the music back to the school, which will then decide what will be done with it. “We’ve done it twice before and it gets better every time,” said Castellon. “It’s great because you are seeing them just right at the beginning and their first exposure to it.” He said that the students’ excitement is palpable: “With the students it’s great because you get to feel that.” The high school’s concert choir teacher and one of the founding members of the school, Heidi Best, led the group during the recording and hopes this experience gave the students a taste Students of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts recorded holiday classics at Kaufman Astoria Studios. of what it really means to record their music at a professional studio. “Recording is a very different animal,” Best said. “’The students are thrilled because they know this is a big deal, and it’s really good for them because they get to hear themselves and the things they don’t really think about and it gives them a keener sense of performing.” For some of the students who participated last year it was a chance to return to the studio, but for others it was the first time they had walked into a studio and shared the same equipment that has been used by musicians such as Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Elvis Costello, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. “It was exciting because it’s something most of us haven’t done,” said 17-yearold Feyjon Cobos, a senior at the high school who first stepped into the studio two years ago with another choir at the school. “It’s nostalgic but very thrilling,” said Bruce Jimenez, 16, a junior who has also THE COURIER/ Photo by Angy Altamirano recorded before. “It was very fun. I wish I could do it again.” This was 17-year-old Paola Solis’ first time recording in a studio, and she said it was exciting to get the opportunity. “I’ve recorded, but like on an iPod,” Solis said smiling. “It’s really amazing to be here in an actual studio.” The group of students will be performing the songs at the MetLife Building in Manhattan on Monday, Dec. 8, and at the school’s winter concert on Dec. 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. Mahadevan Asha Church hosts monthly community potluck BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] by Photo COURIER/THE @aaltamirano28 One Astoria church is hoping to bring a community together over good food and a warm environment. For over a year, members of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 31-18 37th St., have been hosting a Community Supper Potluck on the second Friday of every month. During these dinners, which go on for about two hours, church parishioners and residents from the neighborhood are welcome to bring a dish to share and just hang out, according Elizabeth Lacks, one of the organizers. According to Lacks, you do not need to bring food in order to participate. The dinners are open to those who just want to get together with neighbors and also those who might need a hot, nutritious meal. “The potluck aspect of the supper has been a lot of fun, especially in such an ethnically diverse neighborhood as Astoria,” Lacks said. “And it’s a great way to get to know some of your neighbors; we encourage people to sit with others even if they come alone, and I have met some fascinating people.” The community potlucks began after members of the congregation, including Lacks, came together to discuss ways to reach out to more residents in the community. “Of course in any community there are people in need of food and friendship, and ours is no different,” Lacks said. “These dinners were the result, and they’ve grown considerably since we started.” The goal of the dinners, which now see about 40 participants, is to provide a place where parishioners and neighbors can “find good food and fellowship,” Lacks said. Organizers hope those who attend will feel like they belong to a community. Although the church asks for volunteers to help serve, set up and clean up, and appreciates any support it gets, the group does not distinguish between volunteers and others at the dinners. When it comes to dinner time, everyone eats together. “As many people live in New York, it’s very easy to be lonely in this city, and we hope that these dinners are a place where neighbors can meet and engage with each other in a warm and welcoming environment,” Lacks said. If you would like to volunteer for a dinner, email Lacks at [email protected]. The next Community Supper Potluck is scheduled for Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. For over a year, members of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 31-18 37th St., have been hosting a Community Supper Potluck on the second Friday of every month.
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