Orchestra Director Lauren Morabito Serves as Guest Conductor at Long Island Festivals
Hendrick Hudson High School Orchestra Director Lauren Morabito recently served as a guest conductor at the Long Island String Festival Association’s Nassau and Suffolk County Secondary Festivals.
During her involvement with LIFSA this winter, Mrs. Morabito worked with students in the 9th/10th grade orchestras — first at the Suffolk Secondary Festival, which was held at Happauge High School last month, and most recently at the Nassau Secondary Festival, which was held at Wisdom Lane Middle School in Levittown last weekend.
“These orchestras consisted of the finest players in ninth and 10th grade on Long Island,” Mrs. Morabito said.
With more than 15 years of teaching experience overall, Mrs. Morabito has served as Hendrick Hudson’s Orchestra Director since 2016. Her tenure has been marked by innovation, dedication and a commitment to inclusivity. She was recognized as a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Education Award in 2020.
Under Mrs. Morabito’s leadership, Hendrick Hudson students have been regularly selected to participate in honor ensembles at the regional and state levels. They have been chosen to perform in prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Royal Festival Hall in London, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Her ensembles have consistently excelled at the Music in the Parks festival, earning multiple first-place awards and recognition as the best instrumental ensemble.
Mrs. Morabito was also instrumental in bringing United Sound — a special education music program that teaches through peer mentorship — to Hendrick Hudson, which became the first school district in New York State to implement this inclusion-focused program.
Away from teaching, Mrs. Morabito is an accomplished violinist who has performed with the Excelsior Symphony, Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Valley Opera Company and the Hudson Valley Bach Festival, among others. She has also served as a violin and viola instructor for students throughout the Hudson Valley and is an active member of NAfME, the Westchester County School Music Association and the American String Teachers Association.