The Pulse Magazine: Spring 2024

PULSE

In a digitized world where entertainment is made increasingly solitary, it’s more important than ever to remember the communities that art is created for and the place that we have in those communities. As we found in our Spring 2024 issue of Pulse, arts and entertainment is made more impactful and important when close to home.

Long Island’s art has cemented its place in hearts worldwide, as the birthplace of stars like Billy Joel and iconic films like “The Godfather,” and locally, with art museums, concert venues, bookstores, libraries and more building a thriving community around the arts for us to enjoy. From Makenzie Hurt’s piece interviewing famed director — and Hofstra alumnus — Francis Ford Coppola to Josie Racette’s piece on the strength of indie bookstores and Megan White’s piece on the collaborative power of live entertainment at coffee shops, each staff member of Pulse was able to find the little quirks that make Long Island unique.

Our Pulse team gained a new perspective and range of knowledge about the underrepresented sources that are right outside of our doors. Although the entertainment industry lies within the media capitals of the world, such as our neighboring New York City, we were able to discover how Long Island has added to that title and how entertainment has affected those around us.

In the Limelight is a combination of 20 stories and 10 staff members who dedicated their time and effort to this project while obtaining a better understanding of one another and our Long Island community.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our professor and mentor, Scott Brinton, for providing us with an endless amount of support, ideas, guidance and passion for this project while working on it for the past three months.

Our goal is to allow our readers to discover a new source of entertainment and a new appreciation for the art around them here on Long Island. We hope you enjoy being a part of the evolution of entertainment right in your own backyard.

Stay curious and creative!

Signed,

The Staff of Pulse

MEET THE TEAM

Lily Anzalone Copy Editor

Josie Racette Copy Editor

Lara Rydesky Copy Editor

Rachael Hajec Managing Editor

Nell Stultz Managing Editor

Oisin Moore Graphics Director

Tim Daly Buisness Manager

Megan White Creative Director

Makenzie Hurt Creative Director

Lilly Mullaney Creative Dircetor Scan me on Spotify!

Front cover of Wilt guitarists, Aaron Liebman (left) and Andrew Vance (right). // Photo courtesy of Sarah Ohler

Montauk Music festival

Montauk Yacht Club

May 16 to May 19

20 24

Long Island Youth Orchestra Concert

Adelphi University Performing Arts Center

June 2 @ 7:30 p.m.

Open Mic Night

The Cup Coffeehouse, Wantagh

June 8 @ 7 p.m.

2024 Huntington Summer Arts Festival

Hecksher park, Huntington

June 21

American Dream Art Exhibition

Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay

July 2

Great South Bay Music Festival

Shorefront Park, Patchogue

July 18 @ 4 p.m.

Symphonic Pops of Long Island Concert

Levittown Hall, Hicksville

July 7 @ 2 p.m.

July Live Music

Pindar Vineyards

July 28 @ 1 to 5 p.m.

Legally Blonde The Musical

John W. Engeman Theater, Northport

August 2 @ 8 p.m.

New Kids On the Block Concert

Jones Beach State Park

August 4 @ 6 p.m.

Jazz Night

Masonic Temple, Sag Harbor

August 13 @ 6:30 p.m.

Savage Pianos

Westhampton Beach Perfoming Arts Center

August 30 @ 8 p.m.

The Profound and Lasting Impact of ‘The

Godfather’

on Long Island

BY MAKENIZE HURT

How Nassau County helped shape the definitive mafia crime film

A

man lies in bed, blissfully unaware that he is covered in blood. As he stirs awake and is set into an immediate panic over the blood-soaked sheets, his foot touches something cold. Below the sheets lies the severed head of his prized racing horse, and his immediate shock is followed by screams.

Woltz finding his horse’s head in his bed is one of the most iconic scenes from “The Godfather,” directed and written by Francis Ford Coppola. While the scene is easily recognized, many do not know that it was filmed at Sands Point Preserve’s Guggenheim estate, located on Long

Photo courtesy of Mark Spencer

Island.

Coppola, reflecting on the films’ success, said, “It certainly was a collection of extraordinary talent who are now mostly legends and it seemed to be the right movie at the right time for the right audience and that seems to continue.”

Initially a novel written by Mario Puzo, “The Godfather” is set in Long Beach and is full of references to the island. While he grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, Puzo spent most of his adult life on Long Island and became both a local and international celebrity.

Coppola and Puzo’s success skyrocketed following the film’s release in 1972.

“Before selling the movie rights to his 1969 novel, Puzo had been a down-onhis-luck writer with a wife and five kids who toiled in his Long Island home — first in Merrick and later in Bay Shore — hoping for a bestselling book that would get his family out of debt,” wrote Thomas Maier for Newsday.

Coppola was born in Detroit, Michigan, but moved to Woodside, Queens, as a child.

After high school, he came to Hofstra College (now a university) in Hempstead, New York, and graduated in 1960 with a degree in theater arts. On his experience at Hofstra, he says, “I had the opportunity at Hofstra College to really try out my ideas and basically learn how to direct plays.” In a sense, it was the beginning of it all.

Coppola then attended the film school at UCLA where he was able to hone his craft. Before long, he was categorized in the “New Hollywood” group of directors, and by 1970, he began filming “The Godfather.”

Of course, it was vital that a film about Italian-Americans was directed by an Italian-American. Coppola says he grew up around Italian musicians—not the gangsters depicted in “The Godfather.” Spending a lot of his early life in Great Neck, Long Island and Queens shaped his ability to depict New York Italians in a way that no other director could.

“The Godfather” features some of the most well-known actors of our time like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton

and James Caan.

The casting choices were said to be one of the most difficult decisions made in the franchise, but there is no doubt that the ultimate choices were well-received.

Marlon Brando won the Academy Award of Best Actor for his portrayal of Vito Corleone. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Picture while Puzo and Coppola won Best Screenplay as a result of the first film’s obvious success. “The Godfather Part II” was also the first sequel to win Best Picture.

And if there was an award for best

setting, Long Island would probably get it.

Following the release of “The Godfather,” it became even more attractive to tourists and locals alike. Allison Siegel, a manager at Boarwalk Bagel of Atlantic Beach, has firsthand experience with tourists coming to see the setting of the films. She also finds that “The Godfather” films “are important to Long Island’s legacy because it was a movie that shaped our culture.”

The book sets the Corleones’ home as being in Long Beach, but there are many locations throughout Long Island referenced throughout the film. Sonny Corleone’s famous death scene was filmed at Mitchel Field in Uniondale.

The film’s initial buzz never seemed to wear off, though. “It set the tone for other monumental films and shows such as ‘The Sopranos,’ which also filmed on Long Island,” Siegel said.

The Sopranos, a popular television show featuring the lives of an Italian family, is only one of many pieces of Italian-focused media produced in the wake of “The Godfather.”

Films like “A Bronx Tale,” “Donnie Brasco,” “Goodfellas” and “The Irishman” all pay homage to “The Godfather,” and other media con-

Woltz finding his horse’s head in his bed was filmed at Sands Point Preserve. // Still image via Paramount Pictures

Mario Puzo wrote “The Godfather” in 1969. // Photo courtesy of Bernard Gotfryd

of more than 2.8 million.

With its dense Italian population, “The Godfather” certainly appeals to Long Island and New York residents as a whole. Sir Francis Vito Varone of Brooklyn said that the films are some of his favorites and that they have shaped his life as an Italian while educating the general population on Italian culture. “For New York, [the films are] a lesson in history. As for Italian-Americans, it shows how much they are family-oriented. our culture and love of food, music, parties, etc.,” Varone said.

Coppola is an Italian man himself, which is a large reason he was selected to direct the films. He was able to use his experience as an Italian-American living in New York to direct the films from an accurate, honest perspective. The film would likely not have worked if it hadn’t been for his personal background.

Some Italians don’t appreciate the mafia stereotype, while others feel that “The Godfather” is about much more than that. It is a vital piece of history that, as Varone stated, highlights the strong familial bonds held by Italians, along with the deep love for their culture felt by Italian-Americans.

“Long Beach and Long Island resi-

dents in general are very proud of their heritage in relation to the films,” Siegel said. “A lot of Long Islanders are Italian or know someone that is, and they take a lot of pride in this culture.”

“The Godfather” is one of the highest-rated movies of all time, so it’s no wonder that Long Island loves it like a child. Not only does it showcase the beauty of the island, it also highlights the beauty of the people living there and adds to its already indistinguishable notoriety.

On Long Island, Coppola said, “I re-

call the diversity of the neighborhoods and the different people we lived together with—Ukrainians, Armenians, Poles, Jews. It was a wonderful melting pot.” And in “The Godfather,” he was sure to pay homage to the island that built the story.

In part, “The Godfather” was so successful because of its fictional-yet-realistic plot, but also because people who live in the area can relate to it.

Not only did Coppola create an artistic masterpiece, he also gave us a part of history to look back on.

Top: Al Pacino’s career took off after the 1972 release of “The Godfather.”

Bottom: Sonny’s infamous death scene was filmed at Mitchel Field in Uniondale. // Still images via Paramount Pictures

As the sun sets in Wantagh, locals start heading out to a late-night coffee shop, The Cup Coffeehouse. Upon entering, the sound of laughter, the brewing of coffee and the shuffling of cards fill the air. The interior is welcoming with its couches and cozy chairs for seating. On the walls are the works of local artists and colorful tapestries, complementing the already lively ambiance. When all the other local businesses close their doors for the night, this place becomes a vibrant hub for art, expression and community. Making its journey through two different owners, The Cup finally landed in the hands of 39-year-old Adam Ingoglia of Westbury, who had worked there since he was 18 years old. After becoming close with the second owner and her family, Ingoglia graduated from college with the plan to open his own coffee shop. While contemplating the idea, a compelling offer came his way. “Just buy mine,” suggested the previous owner of The Cup.

For the past 12 years, Ingoglia has built it into a place where people can enjoy a good cup of coffee while also enjoying a sense of community. “I think it’s pretty close with seating so you can connect with the other customers next to you,” said customer Hailey, a resident of Levittown. Kelsey Olsen, also a resident of Levittown, joined in the conversation to add “When someone gets their coffee, they look so good to the point you are inclined to ask someone what they got and there are even games you can play with each other. This is an atmosphere where you don’t feel scared to talk to others.”

Encouraging people’s creativity, Adam designates each month to a different local

The Cup Coffeehouse

Late night comfort

BY MEGAN WHITE

artist by allowing them to hang up their artwork. It gives these artists a safe place to display their pieces with the opportunity to get noticed and potentially sell some of their work. He also helps business owners promote their work, which usually includes Etsy Shop owners who create stickers, drawings, or bookmarks.

“I like to promote the creative side of people, and I feel like it sometimes is a little bit repressed, so if they come somewhere where they are comfortable to be themselves, they can learn a little bit about themselves. I want to give opportunities to people that aren’t going to have it elsewhere,” Ingoglia said.

In summer, The Cup hosts open mic nights every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The mic nights feature all kinds of artists including acoustic singers, a capella groups, poets and comedians. “The community is amazing, and people really look forward to coming here every Wednesday,” Ingoglia said.

Ingoglia has found a lot of gratitude in being able to give people opportunities, noting it is the most rewarding part of the job. “I had a participant in tears one night saying, ‘I have never gotten the opportunity to do something like this and I feel like I’m good at it.’ It has really been something else seeing it work for people and people getting the same gifts that I experienced when I was coming up through the place.”

The Cup Coffeehouse is open weekly from 6 to 11 p.m. and until midnight on weekends. Experience the atmosphere for yourself by grabbing a cup of coffee, a board game, and a comfy seat.

Photo by Megan White

From Stanning to Dancing

K-pop fans find community

BY LARA RYDESKY

Sneakers squeak and scuff across the stone floor as the opening drum beats of BSS’s “Fighting” play over and over, echoing throughout the lobby of Stony Brook University’s Earth and Space Sciences building. Each time the song restarts, something new gets fixed; an arm here, a step there, adjusted to achieve perfect synchronicity.

Stony Brook’s KBS Dance Team practices here every Thursday and Sunday night, using the long wall of floor-to-ceiling windows in lieu of a mirror to learn the official choreography to K-Pop songs like “Fighting,” and to create a space for dancers and K-Pop stans, or super fans, alike.

“When I started out dancing, I never really did it with other people. It was just for my own fun, my own exercise,” said KBS President Derek Ng.

That was in 2018, when Ng was still in high school and the only K-Pop group he listened to was TWICE, a girl group known for their simple, cute dances. Eventually, he “built up the courage” to join a K-Pop dance team his senior year, and brought that experience with him to KBS where his knowledge of dance, and K-Pop, grew.

“I feel like I’ve met so many good people that have helped me grow as a person, and as a leader,” he said. “It’s just amazing that we can all share our passions on this team, and our love for K-Pop.”

Jeffery Luo, KBS’s secretary, also began his K-Pop journey with TWICE in 2016. Brought to a K-Pop dance performance by his friend, he was inspired to join a dance

Xinyan Jiang, KBS treasurer, led a small group through some floor work for K-Pop dance practice.

KBS used the window as a mirror to practice their choreography. // Photos by Lara Rydesky

Want to get into K-Pop?

IF YOU LIKE...

FEATHER BY SABRINA CARPENTER.........................

Beautiful Things by benson boone................... centuries by fall out boy.................................. thank u, next by ariana grande........................ strangers by kenya grace................................. youngblood by 5 seconds of summer............... halo by beyonce.................................................. obsessed by olivia rodrigo................................

TRY...

DM BY FROMIS_9, mago by gfriend I need somebody by day6, sorry by the rose Halazia by ateez, Basquiat by pentagon invu by taeyeon, bad boy by red velvet ditto by newjeans, criminal by taemin deja vu (anemoia remix) by TXT heaven by ailee, what is love by twice queencard by (g)I-dle, loco by itzy

team in high school, and sought out something familiar at Stony Brook.

“I think it’s great that I got to meet a lot of really dedicated and hardworking people that have made the team what it is today,” he said.

Currently, KBS showcases their talent and dedication both on campus and online. Their YouTube channel has garnered upwards of 500,000 views on certain videos, something that caught the attention of Xinyan Jiang in her freshman year. At the time, she was neither a dancer nor a

K-Pop fan.

“I just thought it was a good opportunity for me to try something new,” she said.

Now she’s a junior and gets to be on the other side of the screen, something that she says feels “unreal.” But to her, the best part isn’t the attention online.

“I enjoy working hard towards a common goal with everyone here, and when we perform together, that’s when I have the most fun,” she said.

KBS ends the practice session with a full run through of “Fighting,” making it to the chorus for the first time that day.

“On a day like any othеr day / You hear this song start to play / We’ll be thеre to sing it for you / Gotta keep going, what else can you do?”

- “Fighting,” BSS

BSS, or BooSeokSoon, is a three-person sub-unit of 13 member K-Pop group SEVENTEEN, composed of Boo Seungkwan, Lee Seokmin (DK) and Kwon Soonyoung (Hoshi) pictured below second, 10th and sixth from left, respectively. // Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Gen Z Skyrockets Movie Theater Ticket Sales

BY RACHAEL HAJEC

The days of people aged 12-27 notoriously glued to their cellphones has transitioned to unplugged hours in those red-cushioned seats as Gen Z has slowly revived seeing movies in theaters. However, is it still the same experience as it used to be?

It has been predicted that the future of entertainment has transitioned into shortform content with the popularity of apps and features like Tik Tok and Instagram Reels, but as Gen Z has made going to the movies a social media trend, could the generation’s idea of “becoming the movie” put movie theaters back in business?

Rose Layous, 19, a Roosevelt Field Mall AMC associate, discussed how Gen Z has embraced the movie theater experience and let its legacy live on.

“It’s definitely still somewhere that remains traditional and doesn’t change over

the years, and people come here for that out-of-touch feel where you can’t go on your phone and you have to sit in your assigned seat, ” Layous said.

Movies like “Barbie’’ and “Oppenheimer’’ broke the internet and box offices and became the “Barbenheimer’’ phenomenon. They also spawned the fourth-largest weekend of all time at the box office. Gen Zers began to “become the movie” by dressing in half-pink and half-black clothing and creating other themed outfits for the films.

From “I am Kenough” sweatshirts to briefcases and fedoras, creating engaging outfits like these seemed to be a factor attracting Gen Z to see the movies right when they came out rather than waiting for them to be released on streaming platforms.

Joseph Whittle, a Hofstra University student majoring

in television production and studies, talked about his process as a future creative director, writer or producer, and how he believes Gen Z perceives media today.

“There is a market for everybody to ask, ‘How can this appeal to everyone?,’ but then there are the people who grew up with technology, and people who grew up now with Tik Tok, and now things just have to be more stimulating and more captivating,” Whittle said. “I trust myself and my storytelling ability that people will find it captivating and interesting.”

With the revival of movie theatergoers, social media trends, and even some spinoffs and reboots of Gen Z’s favorite TV shows and films, the future of the entertainment industry is now in the hands of young creators and their ever-changing force on social media.

Top: The essential buttered popcorn snack. // Photo by Rachel Hajec

Bottom: The outfit inspiration behind “Barbenheimer” audience members. // Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Artificial Intelligence Finds a Home in Fine Arts

BY OISÍN MOORE

Controversy about artificial intelligence in recent years has centered around its potential threat to the livelihoods of creatives, but some artists have found ways to use it to their advantage

Image created using OpenArt.ai

On the eighth floor of the Whitney Museum of American Art, large canvases hang on the walls depicting brightly colored, jagged figures of people in different settings all over an exhibit. In one room is a projection of colorful digital shapes that resemble flora, adding to itself with new patterns every few seconds. In another room are two machines: metal frames on two tables each with a bar gliding over them like a scanner on a printer, maneuvering a marker affixed to it, dragging it along papers within the frames. One machine uses its marker to make a series of lines that try not to touch each other. The other creates entirely new drawings of those same jagged figures. Previous drawings are hung up on the walls of the room, surrounding the machines with a gallery of their own work.

This exhibit showcases the work of AARON, a computer software developed by artist Harold Cohen in the late ‘60s. The software was designed to mimic an artist’s drawing process, periodically stopping and deciding what kinds of lines and shapes to draw next based on information programmed into it about compo-

sition, dimension and how human figures are supposed to look.

AARON could be considered a precursor to art created today using generative artificial intelligence. AI programs that generate images based on user prompts like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and DALL-E do so by pulling information from large swaths of images off the internet that they were programmed or “trained” with. While AARON creates traditional art with paper and markers and these generative AI programs create digital art, both kinds of technology present questions about their place in art and culture today.

Since 2015, when OpenAI—the U.S. artificial intelligence research organization behind DALL-E and ChatGPT—was founded, AI technology has exploded in ability and popularity. Russell Chun, a Hofstra University associate professor of journalism, media studies and public relations, has researched this heightened development of AI and its potential societal effects.

“It’s a really exciting time, I think, in terms of AI. It’s definitely going to impact the arts and entertainment industry,

Above: “Susan with Plant” by Harold Cohen’s AARON software hanging in the Whitney Museum of American Art // Photo via Whitney Museum of American Art

Below left: Image created using Dream Studio by stability.ai

Below right: The Society of Illustrator’s statement condemning AI made before Tim O’Brien and Edel Rodriguez wrote their letter. // Photo via the Society of Illustrators

it already has,” Chun said. He discussed AI’s recent effects on film and television, citing the actor’s strike that occurred last year partially because of concerns actors had about their images being used by AI without their permission.

The recent boom in AI technology has resulted in a lot of backlash from artistic communities which voice concerns about their work being stolen and their jobs being replaced by generative AI.

Tim O’Brien, an illustrator whose work has appeared in TIME, Rolling Stone, “The Hunger Games” series and more, is one of those concerned artists.

“It’s bothered me. It’s really bothered me,” O’Brien said. “I’m an educator and I’ve been an illustrator for over thirty years, and I see the danger of an artist replacement tool that bypasses skill and thinking.”

O’Brien is a longtime member of the Society of Illustrators and served as its president from 2014-2022. Toward the end of 2022, when it became a trend on social media for people to post AI-generated portraits of themselves they created with an app called Lensa, O’Brien and others in the SOI started to realize the threat AI could pose to artists like them.

O’Brien and Edel Rogriguez, another member of the SOI, wrote a letter condemning the use of AI in illustration competitions after getting the SOI to do so, and gathered a coalition of about 20 artists across the country to support it. They sent the letter to many organizations, urging them to do the same, and most of them followed suit.

While there are many concerns about the implications of generative AI for illustrators, writers, and actors, there are other realms of art for which generative AI may introduce new opportunities.

“I think that fine arts and commercial art and movies and music are different things” O’Brien said. “So things that are publishable, I feel, are in a different lane than fine arts. In fine arts, one can attach a toilet seat to a wall, or a banana, and say it’s art. Really anything can be art, and anyone can make art, and it has value if someone can sort of attach some meaning to it or they’re first at doing something. So AI in fine art doesn’t trouble me.”

Some artists are cautiously—even

excitedly—embracing generative AI. They point out its potential uses for new discoveries, opportunities, and perspectives in fine art.

Daniel Giordano, a Newburgh, New York based artist, specializes in assemblage-based sculptures that draw inspiration from his upbringing in Newburgh. While he isn’t interested in using AI in his own work, he welcomes what it may bring to the table.

“I feel like it’s just another medium for people to experiment with and push into another realm,” Giordano said. “I

political data systems, along with human/ AI symbiosis,” according to O’Connor’s website.

O’Connor’s work with NCP involves Cleverbot, an AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT that has been around since 2008. Unlike ChatGPT, which can generate stories, scripts, essays and more based on a user’s prompts, Cleverbot is purely conversational. As users talk to it online, it collects data from those conversations and uses them to learn how to communicate with others in the future.

“I often like when it slips ... when it does something that it’s not supposed to do, then you’re most excited, you know?”

— John O’Connor

think it depends on the application and the procedure to which you’re using that equipment or that device. I’m sure there’s a way you can make it sincere, genuine and true to you, and still keep the soulfulness of the human that made it.”

There’s a sentiment among some fine artists and AI enthusiasts that generative AI is just another tool that makes art more accessible and exciting. But that possibility relies on where the technology is today and where it might go in the future.

Juan Hernandez Díaz, a Colombian artist based in New York City, creates installations that focus on our relation to objects and systems that acquire meaning to us. He came up with a metaphor about the ability of a knife to cut into meat.

“If you’re going to cut a piece of meat but you don’t have the right knife, it might be a nightmare, and you’re not going to get a good cut,” Díaz said. “But if you have a really nice knife, you’re going to have such a clean cut, and it’s going to be so easy. So my question with AI at this point is do we already have that knife, the clean-cut knife? If we’re headed toward something, what is that something, what are these tools going to allow us to do and how are we going to use them?”

John O’Connor is a New York City based artist who mostly creates traditional, not digital, drawings, but is also involved with NonCoreProjector, “a collective of visual artists, technologists, scientists, and musicians experimenting with physical, biological, conceptual and

NCP’s projects with Cleverbot entail making the program speak to itself and using whatever language the conversation produces to generate visual aspects in an exhibition. For example, one project, called Vec Tor Bell, input parts of conversations into YouTube’s search bar and projected whatever videos came up on a wall. The average color of the videos would be “distilled into a transparent filter” also projected onto the wall, and the videos would be distorted based on the emotional intensity of the words Cleverbot was generating, creating a sometimes chaotic, sometimes dreamy sequence.

“For us, it’s like a tool, and it’s kind of exciting to try something different,” O’Connor said. “I often like when it slips ... when it does something that it’s not supposed to do, then you’re most excited, you know?”

Regardless, questions remain about the overall influence generative AI may have on future artists. O’Brien, also an adjunct professor at Pratt Institute, discussed his concerns about the use of AI in art schools and among young artists still finding their way.

“If they use AI to ideate, or start projects, they’ll never know what it feels like to be stuck and feel awkward and uncomfortable while you’re trying to work something out,” O’Brien said. “And that’s really part of being a creative, is to live in discomfort at times before you achieve your ‘aha’ moment.”

Symphonic Pops of Long Island Keeps the Music Flowing

Multigenerational orchestra engages, entertains audiences

BY NELL STULTZ

As the applause dies down and the maestro takes the stage, a hush falls over the audience in the dimly lit auditorium of Huntington High School. The musicians on stage – a diverse group of community members from across Long Island – wait with their instruments, poised to play as the conductor lifts his hands. The baton waves through the air, the musicians spring into action, and the bombastic opening notes to “The Empire Strikes Back Medley” ring out over the audience.

This scene, from the Symphonic Pops of Long Island’s “Journeys to Outer Space” concert with the Huntington High School orchestra on March 3, is a familiar one for the group, which performs several times a year across the Island.

Founded in 1979 as the Senior Pops Orchestra of Long Island, the symphony has since broadened to become fully multigenerational.

“It keeps people engaged with people outside the family and their work and everything else if they can

stay involved in arts organizations,” said Stephen Michael Smith, who has directed the orchestra for the past 14 years. “It broadens one’s own world.”

The Symphonic Pops’ members come from Southampton to Queens to play with the group, which rehearses weekly at Congregation Beth Tikvah in Wantagh. Many are retired musicians or music educators. Others played in their youth before taking a break in college or adulthood and have looked toward local music groups as a way to rekindle their passion for playing.

Marsha Cilento, a violinist who also serves as the president of the symphony’s board of directors, hadn’t played her violin in about 20 years before setting out to find a local music group and landing at the Symphonic Pops. She described it as a joy to play with fellow musicians and watch them perfect their craft.

“It’s a bond that is hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it,” Cilento said. “It’s a great outlet.”

Part of the joy of the Symphonic

Pops is the cross-community collaboration that occurs, both within the group and its 60-odd members and beyond. The orchestra regularly performs with other groups from across Long Island, including women’s choirs, dance centers, solo musicians and, as with the “Outer Space” concert, high school music programs.

The most fulfilling part of getting to play with the younger music students, according to Smith, is the feeling of investing in the future. “You’re offering them some unique experience. You hope, even if only one or two of them remembers it, it spurs them on to do something else,” he said. “That makes it all worthwhile.”

“A lot of school budgets have been cut, and music is one of the first things to go,” Cilento said. “Seeing a younger generation and playing with a younger generation is just really special because they’re going to hopefully continue that path, and you want to encourage that.”

Long Island enjoys robust arts access in public education: per 2019-

Stephen Michael Smith with the Symphonic Pops of Long Island and the Huntington High School Orchestra on March 3. // Photo by Nell Stultz // Violin photo via Wikimedia Commons

SYMPHONIC POPS OF LONG ISLAND

ORCHESTRA LONG ISLAND

MASSAPEQUA PHILHARMONIC

SOUND SYMPHONY

SOUTH SHORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

NASSAU POPS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

LONG ISLAND YOUTH ORCHESTRA

LONG ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC

ISLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

LONG ISLAND CONCERT ORCHESTRA

ORCHESTRAS ACROSS THE ISLAND

2020 data from the Arts Education Data Project, 70% of students in Nassau County and 71% in Suffolk were enrolled in music programs. Less than 1% of students lacked access to any arts programs. Part of the Symphonic Pops’ goal of performing with high schools, Smith said, was because “we felt that it was a way of supporting high schools who are trying to have good, strong music programs and offer them something unique.”

The experience is equally appreciated by the students, who prepare for months for the concert but only have one rehearsal with the Symphonic Pops before the concert.

“My students are [in] high school, and they never really get the opportunity to play with people that aren’t in their sort of age demographic,” said James DiMeglio, the Huntington High School orchestra director. “And to then suddenly be sitting next to someone who has been playing that same instrument but has been doing it for 30, 40 years, it’s kind of eye-opening.”

The opportunity offers a brand-new

experience for the high schoolers. “These kids are really getting something from this that isn’t just playing another concert,” DiMeglio said. “To do something like this was something really exciting for them.”

A pops orchestra has an unmistakable draw to it, with its recent concert boasting music from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” along with pop standards like “Moon River” and “Swinging on a Star.”

“More people know these tunes,” Smith said. “For some classical orchestras, there’s always been a sense that it’s maybe elitist or you have to know something to go to orchestra concerts. If it’s a pops concert, and they see ‘Star Wars,’ everybody feels like, ‘Oh, I know Star Wars, I’ll like that.’ So certainly we get a different, probably broader audience as a pops orchestra.”

While the March concert was Smith’s last with the Symphonic Pops, the Juilliard-trained conductor also serves as the music director of the

Danbury Community Orchestra in Connecticut and established the Orchestra at Shelter Rock in Manhasset in 2007. A majority of the members of the Symphonic Pops play in multiple orchestras – a true display of artistic passion.

“That’s what these people do,” Smith said. “They really love this. So we’re not the only show in town!”

There are nearly a dozen other local orchestras across the Island, including the South Shore Symphony, the Massapequa Philharmonic and the Nassau Pops Symphony. All of these local groups strengthen the area, Smith said.

“Community orchestras and art groups and theater groups give some texture to the community and get people aware of their neighbors and pride in where they live and real connection to their communities,” Smith said. “Cities and communities that have strong arts – people want to live there. People have a sense of belonging, and it really enriches and changes the community. They’re essential.”

Courtesy Google Maps

Books and Beaches by the Bay

The Next Chapter and Theodore’s Books reach out to the community in various ways

BY JOSIE RACETTE

The sign above small glass doors of the locally owned bookstore reads “The Next Chapter,” and the smell of new books fills the air as you travel farther inside. Wall shelves are stacked from floor to ceiling with books, shorter shelves dividing the store sections.

The Next Chapter was opened by

Mallory Braun in February 2023 in Huntington after Book Revue, the last bookstore in the area, closed. Braun raised over $257,000 from Long Islanders to open The Next Chapter in Huntington.

“I saw the community wasn’t going to have a bookstore anymore and thought that they needed one,” Braun said.

Throughout Long Island, many independent bookstores have started to open and grow in business by hosting local activities and book clubs.

“We have a large event space in the back of our store and we allow book clubs to meet back here,” Braun said. “We have a market that happens at the store so we have local vendors come set up a table [in the back room].”

A bookstore just a couple towns over in Oyster Bay is also helping the community by inviting local authors to the store. Former Congressman Steve Israel opened Theodore’s Books in November 2021 to celebrate the late Theodore Roosevelt and connect with the Long Island community.

“Politics [aren’t] the only way to save democracy,” Israel said. “You can do it by engaging local communities to read.”

Israel invites local authors to the store to talk about their work with an audience. He believes making the

author available for readers is an important part of building the community around Theodore’s Books.

“People aren’t just buying books,” Israel said. “They’re part of a community, and America does best when its communities are healthy and well read.”

Long Island author and editor Kelly McMasters held an event at Theodore’s Books in 2023 for the release of her memoir, “The Leaving Season.” McMasters is an associate professor of English and the director of the Publishing Studies Department at Hofstra University.

“The [book launch] that meant the most to me was at Theodore’s,” McMasters said. “My kids came, my parents came, and it was the one reading where [I went] into the little back room and came out, and I think I knew every single face in the room.”

McMasters read one of the essays in the memoir about motherhood and expressed how emotional she was. The audience, mostly women, teared up when listening to her read.

Both The Next Chapter and Theodore’s Books are independent bookstores run by Long Islanders. Rather than buying books online based on an algorithm, going to a brick-and-mortar store gives buyers a chance to connect with booksellers and the community.

Kelly McMasters at her book launch at Theodore Books. // Courtesy Kelly McMasters

Theodore’s Books, at 17 Audrey Ave. in Oyster Bay, holds many author events. //

Photo by Josie Racette

Changing The Game

How Long Island's alternative scene has transformed the industry

BY LILY ANZALONE

Photo Courtesy of Sky Hume

When you think about musicians from Long Island, your first thought may be Billy Joel or Mariah Carey. What you may not know is hardcore music genres, like punk or grunge, have long had a deep connection to Long Island. Artists like Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Twisted Sister and The Lemon Twigs began on the Island, building acclaim in subcultures dedicated to fighting against the norm.

“It feels good to be in a band: that’s the thing, you're in a band and you think to yourself sometimes, ‘Oh are we stale or are we doing anything good, anything innovative or different?’ but to be this excited about the music is really important, to me at least, as a musician and as a creative person,” said Andreas Burgos, vocalist and bassist of Yonkers-based rock band Saturday Saints.

One of the most iconic bands to come out of the Long Island area is arguably The Ramones. Beginning in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, the Ramones climbed to fame in the late 1970s and defined the punk rock genre that led New York Hard Core through the end of the century, yet many do not know about their Long Island roots. The band was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2008. Taking Back Sunday, a Long Beach-

based band, is partially credited with starting the emo movement of the early 2000s. Their critically acclaimed album “Tell All Your Friends,” became a staple for teenagers who were moving away from the punk scene. Emo music is focused heavily on emotional and melancholic lyricism, which differs from angry lyrics and power chords. The genres have ties to each other, as both fall under the hardcore umbrella. Taking Back Sunday was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Whyistheresuchalarge alternativeculturehere?

Long Island is close in proximity to New York City, one of the biggest music hubs in the world. Being this close allows young and aspiring artists to find influence all over the city, and make connections to other independent musicians. The city’s art and culture is where many artists draw their inspiration from, and where they find their unique sound. The NYC punk scene was huge in the '70s and '80s, and had its own title: New York Hard Core. People of all ages could be found roaming the streets on the weekends, playing gigs in basements and alleyways, building a culture that would later trickle back into Long Island. Many concert goers during

this time would travel from across the Island to the EastVillage to find their community, which would be brought back into Long Island.

Pre-andpost-pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic halted Long Island’s massive underground scene, as social distancing restrictions prevented venues from hosting concerts. A few of the Island's venues closed permanently for pandemic-related financial reasons.

“There was this place called The Hub, which closed down, probably because of the pandemic, and another place called Callahans near Hofstra, that also closed down, where I used to play,” said Dylan Taganas, an alternative performer from Valley Stream.

Coming off the pandemic, however, Long Islanders in the alternative scene are itching for new places to jam out and interact with their community. Small venues run out of garages or basements are bring-

Saturday Saints, a band originating from Yonkers, has performed at multiple venues across Long Island, including the annual Montauk Music Festival //

Courtesy William Dickerson

Photo by Lily Anzalone

ing the punk scene back to life across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Locations like The Cave in Medford, Suite 208 in Lake Ronkonkoma and the Massapequa VFW have been bringing in crowds and helping promote small, local artists.

“These small venues, that's where you’re growing your own sound. You're getting in contact with all the other people that run the venue, and they can hook you up with other people in the Long Island scene,” Taganas said.

The rise of basement shows and obscure venues is directly correlated with the growth of local bands, giving alternative bands a platform to promote themselves and their music, which in turn helps them book shows, sell albums and merchandise, and gain a larger audience. This has been the standard of the Island for years, since hardcore genres are built off local support and a “do it yourself” mentality. New York Hard Core thrives off unknown bands, bringing hordes of young people who want a place to express themselves, whether through the music or in a mosh pit.

Social media and radio stations

have been huge assets in connecting the Island back to its alternative roots. Venues are able to post about their shows and promote them online, giving bands a larger audience outside their local towns. In years past, performers were unable to engage with their audiences on a personal level outside their shows, which isolated local bands who did not make it big in their own circles. Social media like Instagram can reach much larger groups of people across Long Island and even the country. Radio stations that play unknown artists put them on the community's radar and give these artists a professional platform to stream their work.

“Part of the reason why we’ve played so much on Long Island is because of 94.3 The Shark; it’s a local Long Island radio station that has a huge fanbase,” said Will Dickerson, drummer for Saturday Saints. “One of the DJs, Brian Orlando, discovered our music a few years ago and has really supported us, and given us a nice spotlight on his show. When our album came out, he played every song on the record. It was incredible.”

Thefutureof thescene

Anyone not connected to alternative scenes would not know how ingrained the culture is on Long Island. The rise of basement shows and punk bands popping up across the Island is reminiscent of New York Hard Core and shows how important this area is to the industry. Long Island artists are similar, with

emotional lyrics and heavy instrumentals, but they each created their own unique sound and built fan bases that have lasted. Long Island Alternative is about community, fighting against societal norms.

“To see whateveryone has at their disposal now is really exciting,” Burgos said. “I love what I am seeing with these bands that are coming out now, and they’re relevant. They are doing things in the now and they are pushing these boundaries.”

The music industry is thriving on the Island, with music business being among the fastest-growing departments at Hofstra University and Long Island University and multiple recording studios gaining popularity. The future may be unclear, but one thing is for certain: Long Island Alternative

Mulcahy's, a popular bar, doubles as a concert hall located in Wantagh. //

by Lily Anzalone

Photo

Music is the Best Medicine

The power of song helps maintain focus, passion and drive during difficult times for young people

BY RACHAEL HAJEC

Guitar strings are being picked, small but quick hand movements move acress a piano, and the sound of a young mind who is using their vocal chords singing for the first time. All of these abilities are what make music therapy a practice that over two million people use to treat a variety of physical, mental and emotional issues.

Music therapy not only coincides with evolutionary medicine, but has been proven to benefit students and young adults with their mental health, academic careers and overall personal wellbeing. Music is constantly changing, and there are many different genres, renditions and instruments to choose from. It is an everyday tool that has many hidden talents.

John Mondanaro is the director of Expressive Arts Therapy for the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine in the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital.

He also graduated with a doctoral degr in Music Therapy at New York University (NYU), and he is able to describe his idea of music and medicine, and how

“If you think about the body as the primary domain of medicine where we look at symptoms, that’s the model we’ve all been living with, it is a trilogy of the body, mind and spirit,”

-John Mondanaro

he believes music will continue to be influential for people of all generations and treatments.

“If you think about the body as the primary domain of medicine where we look at symptoms, that’s the model we’ve all been living with, it is a trilogy of the body, mind and spirit,” Mondanaro said. “We continue to build upon that idea that music creates a tune and a sense of calming that builds across different fronts from special education into psychiatric facilities and even long term rehabilitation.”

Some of the most common reasons for seeking music therapy treatment include clients who may have anxiety, depression, mood and behavioral disorders and even certain medical conditions such as cardiac issues, brain injuries and cancer. Based on these varying examples, the effects and benefits of music therapy are ever changing and continue to progress with modern medicine.

Within the Long Island area alone, there are many resources and services where local residetns can apply to be a part of a music therapy program that

The most common reason that people listen to music is to reduce stress levels (and for enjoyment of course). // Image courtesy Freepik

Playing the piano is one of the most wellknown and calming music therapy tools for people of all ages. // Photo courtesy Freepik

they may not be aware of. The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame partnered with Catholic Health to create the Health and Harmony program. Through this program, Long Islanders can apply to seek positive health and wellness benefits while using music as their main tool.

Ernie Canadeo, chairman of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, discussed his perspective on music’s main purpose, and provided information on how medical facilities in Long Island are attempting to implement music as a regular and essential practice.

“There is an old expression that says if you want to work out your body, go to the gym, but if you want to work out your brain, listen or play music. It’s really true, there is a lot of neuroscience that shows how effective music is,” Canadeo said. “The Health and Harmony partnership is with Catholic Health, and they are acknowledging that music should be a part of treatment. They will have installed in a lot of their hospitals some terminals where patients can choose playlists depending on how they’re feeling.”

With many different types of music therapy and personalized treatment plans, there are a wide range of demographics that this practice serves. According to the American Music Therapy Association, a majority of their memberships are young to middle-aged adults in the workforce, prior to retirement and students.

Hofstra student musician Emily DeChristine talks about how, as a singer and songwriter, music motivates and stimulates her, especially during the stressful times balancing college classes

and extracurriculars.

“Music is so easily accessible, and I think especially for young adults and students, it is the easiest way for them to express themselves,” DeChristine said. “I think it allows young adults to figure out their feelings because as soon as they hear someone else say it in a song, they are like ‘oh yeah, that’s what I’m feeling,’ because music is becoming even more relatable for younger audiences as a coping mechanism.”

Students and all demographics alike are able to use music not just as a hobby or skill, but as a positive benefit to their physical, mental and emotional health.

With the implementation of music terminals in hospitals, and the increase in music therapy positions and businesses, this practice could become essential to a majority of patient/client treatments.

Whether it creating a mood or daily playlist, learning how to sing or play a new instrument, discovering new artists and/or genres of music, attending live music concerts/events or studying the history of music on Long Island, any individual is able to connect with music at their own pace and procedure to benefit themselves and their health as they see fit.

The American Music Therapy Association 2021 Workforce Analysis shows that professionals, students, and other various age groups have a Music Therapy membership. // Photo by Rachael Hajec.

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is known for its array of collectibles throughout decades of music and entertainment as well as its famous inductees including Barbra Streisand and Billy Joel. // Photo courtesy of The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Website

The Consequences of Media Overload

BY MEGAN WHITE

Almost every night, 23-yearold Julie Boehm, who works remotely for a real estate company in New Jersey, finds herself scrolling through different social media feeds while her laptop is playing a show on Netflix. Her roommate sits across the room listening to music in her air pods while browsing the web for the day’s news. “My consumption of media has definitely affected my productivity in ways like doom scrolling and putting off tasks, or in the middle of a task I will get distracted by social media,” Boehm said.

Like the two of them, many others risk overconsuming media. Our media diet has slowly but surely altered how humans behave and feel.

The current media landscape is wide spread and easily accessible. There are more than 200 streaming services available worldwide and many social media platforms to scroll through.

On both streaming and social media, people can access news, celebrity gos-

sip, sports games, and more. They can view the lives of not only their friends and family, but also political figures, celebrities, and various individuals from across the world.

Having access to every form of media at our fingertips has its perks, but it can come with dire consequences. So, what are they?

Sabotaging your productivity

Harmony Healthcare IT, a health data management firm, surveyed over 1,000 Americans on their phone screen time habits. They surveyed each generation (Gen Z, Gen X, Millennials, and Baby Boomers) and discovered the average screen time for Americans is four hours and 37 minutes. When breaking it down by generation, it was noted that Gen Z holds the highest screen time at six hours and five minutes.

In terms of streaming services, Forbes Home partnered with the market research company OnePoll to get a better representation of streaming

culture in 2024. The survey revealed that the average American spends three hours and nine minutes each day streaming digital media.

With those statistics in mind, it raises concern about our productivity levels. By spending so much time consuming media, we focus less on important daily tasks, work and school.

“About 25% of your life is spent consuming media. You get lost in this vortex before realizing I got a paper due tomorrow, I didn’t get back to my friends, I got to go to the dry cleaners, whatever it is you need to do,” said Jeffrey Froh, a Hofstra University psychology professor.

Building upon Froh’s research, Boehm can offer a firsthand perspective on the repercussions of excessive media consumption. She said that her screen time combined with time spent on streaming services adds up to roughly six hours daily.

College studnets haging out at Hofstra Univeristy’s Axinn Library are more focused on their devices than on each other. // Photo by Megan White

“When you are sitting in front of the computer all day with no supervision other than needing to turn your work in by the end of the day, it makes it really easy to start scrolling through Instagram or to get sucked into a 20-minute episode of a sitcom,” Boehm said.

Mental health

In this digital age, there is unlimited access to the daily lives of other people. One can see what everyone’s up to just by clicking on their profile and people are more than willing to share their lives. There are Instagram stories, Tik Toks and Snapchat posts of people on expensive vacations, someone’s collection of designer handbags, or their meal at a five-star restaurant.

“It’s just consumption, consumption, consumption, and when we are consuming all these things like what everyone else is doing, you start look ing at your life and you think things like ‘wow I’m really poor.’ It increases jealousy and envy,” Froh said.

Media tends to portray the “best” image of someone, making it hard not to comapre yourself to others

Always seeing the best of someone because their struggles and bad days are not what they choose to portray is destroying mental well-being.

“We have severe severe spikes in depression. We have severe spikes in eating disorders especially in young ladies,” Froh said.

After talking with many young aduts,

it’s evident that media overload can create harmful societal norms and self-perception. “I think overconsumption can lead to poor self-esteem and instill a sense of competitiveness, especially in young adults. Media has a tendency to show you only the pretty things and not necessarily the reality so you end up with a lot of people striving for something that isn’t real and can end up mentally or physically harmed,” said Boehm.

Emma Foucher, a 19-year-old student at Suffolk University, faces many of those same struggles when it comes to self-image.

“I’m constantly scrolling and consuming media of people with nicer things than me. Nicer cars, bigger apartments, nicer clothes, and although most of these things are not practical, it makes me feel like I’m behind on things or should be doing more,” Foucher said.

Social isolation

Overindulging in media can frequently lead to social isolation. There is much content available that causes many people to decrease their social interactions.

One can substitute face-toface connection for social media exchanges, and likewise, one can substitute quality time with people for activities like watching a movie or scrolling through

TikTok.

The times when people are face to face, they may be more interested in their devices, isolating themselves even when around others.

Froh discussed this commonality in the way we interact with one another. He notices how people might be saying something important and realize they are talking to the top of someone’s head, as the person “listening” is more immersed in their phone than the conversation. This happens so often that society just accepts this as normal.

When people do have direct eye contact and genuine connection, “you feel valued, respected, loved, cared for,” Froh said.

How can we counteract this?

This is not to say the consumption of media is bad, but it is important to be aware of how much time you spend consuming media. Start by asking yourelf how many hours does my daily screen time amount to? Am I chosing media over my mental well-being?

Photo via Pexels

Gilgo Beach Case Catches Documentary Attention

Questions arise about portrayal of case after Rex Huerrmam arrest

BY TIMOTHY DALY

When Mari Gilbert went looking for her missing daughter, she had no idea she would be revealing a massive case that would take over 12 years to solve after the discovery of the first body. She also didn’t know that she would become the subject of multiple movies. Her story is an integral part of the film coverage of the Gilgo Beach murder case, which is becoming more saturated and complex with the arrest of murderer Rex Huerrmann in July 2023.

The 2020 Netflix movie “Lost Girls” was based on the nonfiction novel of the same name, with a focus on Gilbert’s story. While Gilbert’s story portrayed in the film isn’t

necessarily unfactual, the events are dramatized. Similarly, the 2021 Lifetime movie “The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice’’ presented a fictionalized version of Gilbert’s story. After the arrest of Rex Huermann, Lifetime re-released the film under the title “The Gilgo Beach Killer,” in August 2023, updating the film with new information.

This film’s re-release is part of a larger rush by the media to release content about this case after Huermann’s arrest. Hulu released the TMZ documentary “Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Missed Warning,” this past August. An untitled Netflix documentary about the case has been announced with Liz Garbus, the director of “Lost Girls,” set to direct. There is another documentary announced to be released on Peacock, with participation from Huermann’s estranged wife and adult children. None of the family members of the victims agreed to participate in the Peacock documentary.

With the release of all of this new content, a wider audience of people will likely be learning about this case, which raises some questions and even ethical concerns about what will be covered and emphasized in these documentaries.

“The relationship to truth is always problematic, even in real documentaries,” said Hofstra film Professor Rodney Hill. “In a documentary you have maybe an hour and a half, and already you have to depart from the truth somewhat in order to make that happen.”

What will be shown in these documentaries is especially

Amy Ryan as Mari Gilbert in Netflix’s “Lost Girls”. // Still image via Netflix

pertinent considering there is more at play than in a typical true crime story; the Gilgo Beach victims were sex workers.

Alexandra Whitbeck covered the way sex work impacted how the case was viewed by the public and the amount of attention that it received from law enforcement in her award winning podcast, “Sex Work After Gilgo.” She emphasized the importance of making sure that this aspect of the case is covered in the future works.

“Going forward, I think having some journalistic perspective on it from people who reported the case while it was going on, or people involved in some shape or form who can speak to how vulnerable populations are impacted is something that is important for producers or directors as these things progress,” said Whitbeck.

There is also the question of how much emphasis will be put on Huerrman in comparison to the attention paid to the victims, especially with the recent trend of the dramatization of serial killers in media, as with the controversial Dhamer series on Netflix.

“There needs to remain a focus on the victims and the fact that they were murdered and less so on this killer, and all the bad he did,” said Whitbeck.

2007: Maureen Brainard-Barnes first of the “Gilgo four” goes missing

2010: Authorities first find remains in Gilgo Beach. “Gilgo four” found

2013: Nonfiction book Lost Girls: an Unsolved Mystery is published

2016: Mari Gilbertsubject of Lost Girls is murdered by her eldest daughter

2020: Lost Girls movie is released on Netflix

2022: Suffolk County forms task force to catch the killer. Rex Huerrman is identified as a suspect.

2023: Rex Huerrmann is arrested

Local library turns into a community center Pages to Performance

BY LILY ANZALONE

The silence is comforting, and is broken by the occasional page turn, the crinkle of a newspaper, a child skipping between the aisles. The smell of fresh books wafts through the air, and it’s hard not to fall into a chair and engulf oneself in a new novel.

For many, libraries are for reading, studying and silence. But in recent years, Long Island libraries have dubed themselves, “Community Centers,” offering spaces for all kinds of artistic endeavors. The East Meadow Public Library is no stranger to this rebrand, and has been hosting a slew of small concerts over the past few years, like Deni Bonet and Chris Flynn on March 3.

Deni Bonet is a well-established singer/ songwriter and electric violinist from New York who has performed four sold-out

shows at Carnegie Hall and recorded with artists like Cyndi Lauper and R.E.M. She has released multiple albums and performed at the East Meadow Public Library with Chris Flynn three separate times.

Flynn is an accomplished guitarist, having played with Dennis Dunaway of Alice Cooper and Simon Kirke of Bad Compa-

“I was offered a gig [at the library], and I thought, ‘Well, let’s try it.’” – Deni Bonet, musician

ny. Bonet and Flynn have been performing together for seven years.

The show, held in the library’s community room, began at 2pm and the room was filled with community members

enjoying the music. The duo played a mix of covers and original work, including Bonet’s latest single, “Always ComeHome.” Many libraries around the country are turning into more than just a place for books. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many libraries have hosted concerts, art shows, athletic classes and game nights to bring their community.

“I have always viewed libraries as cultural centers, so I think it is good that we offer these things. I think we really do an excellent job here at being eclectic and different. We try to add a little bit of variety, we try to bring in talent that people would normally be paying to see elsewhere, but we are able to provide to the community for no fee,” said William Farrow, director of the East Meadow Public Library.

Photo by Lily Anzalone

Courtesy Vecteezy

Bonet and Flynn use each other’s energy during a performance. // Photo by Lily Anzalone

LGBTQ+ Representation in Television Has Improved, But is it Enough?

Two studies show a change in how the LGBTQ+ community has been represented in television over the past few decades. People in and aspiring to be in the field comment on the significance of diverse representation.

BY OISÍN MOORE

During her almost 35-year career as a production manager and line producer for mostly daytime television, Leslie Becker, 65, felt that her lesbian identity was wholly accepted. She never felt ostracized by her industry, working at the Public Broadcasting System’s WNET in the 90s and working on shows such as Wonderama, The Bill Cunningham Show and Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, among others. Becker said her coworkers would ask how her wife was doing, even asking for her at parties. Now “semi-retired,” Becker points out that this acceptance she felt behind the scenes hasn’t necessarily translated to the screen.

“When there isn’t that kind of representation, a normal, everyday life representation in films and television, it’s perplexing,” she said. “Because this is an industry that is filled with people in our community, and not only that, they are accepted, they are appreciated for their talents, they are sought after for their talents. But yet they’re not represented.”

Two studies analyzing the amount and quality of LGBTQ+ representation in television were done in 2006 and 2018. They were based on a 1969 theory from a communications scholar, Cedric Clark, that said marginalized communities have four levels of representation in media: non-recognition, ridicule, regulation, and respect.

The 2006 study, by Amber B. Raley and Jennifer Lucas, found that at the time, the LGBTQ+ community had

generally began to move on from the non-recognition stage, where a community has no representation, to the ridicule stage, where there is representation, but it is largely reduced to stereotypes and harmful jokes.

“Think about how many homophobic and transphobic jokes there have been in many early 2000s comedy films,” wrote Maxwell Emhett, 23, a

freelance audio engineer who graduated last year from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media. “While representation has gotten better, there are still massive strides to take in making sure everyone is represented fairly.”

Carson Cook’s 2018 study found that at that time, gay and lesbian characters seemed to be moving past the ridicule stage into the regulation and respect stages, where characters of a marginalized community appear regularly in shows and are treated more equally. However, that didn’t seem to be the case for other parts of the community.

Cook also found that bisexual characters, which didn’t appear at all in the 2006 study, were more in the ridicule stage, often portrayed as “confused or

manipulative.” Transgender characters did not appear in broadcast television in this study, as was the case in the 2006 study, but did appear in shows on streaming services. They are still in the non-recognition stage, and the little representation that does exist seems to fit the ridicule stage, according to Cook.

So while the quality and frequency of gay and lesbian representation has seemingly improved over the past few decades, bisexual and transgender representation still has a way to go. Neither study addressed other identities under the LGBTQ+ spectrum, so their current level of representation may also be lacking.

Representation may improve as more people of younger generations who care about diversity enter the field. Sascha Schwartz, 22, a senior Film Studies and Production major at Hofstra University, is one of those people.

“As someone who is queer and planning to work in the film and television industry, LGBTQ+ representation is incredibly important to me, both in front of and behind the camera,” Schwartz wrote. “Authentic LGBTQ+ characters and stories created by LGBTQ+ people don’t just help queer individuals feel seen and understood, but they also help people who are uneducated or unaware of LGBTQ+ identities and issues... It is important that that media is as diverse and reflective as the interactions we have in life, and more so.”

Rainbow Flag Fade courtesy of Benson Kua Retro TV courtesy of VideoPlasty

Without Music, High Schoolers Would Sing a Different Tune

Music programs are the foundation for a lifetime of learning opportunities

Walking through the halls of so many high schools, you hear the sound of students warming up their instruments. Shouting is heard over the sound of squeaking notes as you scan the room. The band director walks out of his office and is immediately surrounded by a group of students who ask him about his day.

“For me, I really cherished the opportunity for me to be able to be remembered and to pass on my passion for music to others,” said Dan DellaMonica, the Garden City High School band director. “I realized how much I loved teaching students and seeing that look on their faces when they really get something and when they improve in music.”

Most elementary students in third or fourth grade on Long Island have the option of learning an instrument. Roughly 40% of high school students across the country take part in music programs, according to data compiled by the University of Michigan’s “Monitoring the Future” study. Learning to play an instrument at a young age increases confidence, language abilities and time management skills. Students learn how to balance practice and study time, especially during concert season.

The Garden City High School music program offers opportunities for students to connect with the community through different ensembles. The jazz ensemble performs for a senior citizen afternoon tea gathering, and the jazz band plays at the annual Garden City PTA dinner. The marching band performs at the Memorial Day and Home-

coming parades, while some members play taps at community ceremonies.

Newsday holds an annual marching band festival in the fall, giving awards to programs that participate. The Bethpage High School marching band participated and their band director, Kristen Warnokowski, described the event as fun and exciting.

“It’s just a big festival for three nights with whichever high school bands choose to participate,” Warnokoski said. “Students get to see other high schools doing the same thing which builds a community with band students.

All the band directors see each other in one place.”

The Bethpage High School marching band performs at their community’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Memorial Day Parade, along with the high school’s homecoming parade. Students are offered to play taps at ceremonies in the community for Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Both DellaMonica and Warnokoski believe in teaching the next generation of high school music students and having college student teachers and observers.

“I’m always looking to bring in student observers,” DellaMonica said.

“I’ve had multiple student teachers over the years—I’m having another one coming up. Another observer is also coming up. I just feel like it’s important to give back to the next generation of music teachers.”

This is Warnokoski’s first year as the high school band director, and she hasn’t had either a student teacher or observer.

“If I was asked to have a student observer, I would totally say yes,” Warnokoski said.

Warnokoski’s father was a band director, so she grew up in the music world. She had long wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and decided to become a band director after middle school.

Music students don’t always pursue music education after high school, but can still be involved in music in organizations for adults. The Hofstra University Pep Band is an organization outside the school’s music department that any student can join to play music.

Andrew Singer, the pep band coordinator, majored in music education but works as an operations manager at an insurance brokerage firm in Garden City. Singer gives private trumpet lessons to middle and high school stu-

The Bethpage High School at the Newsday Marching Band Festival. // Courtesy Kristen Warnokowski

BY JOSIE RACETTE

dents and plays in wedding bands that perform across Long Island.

“Even though I’m not teaching specifically in a school as a band teacher or a choir teacher, I still feel like a music educator to the degree that I work with college students and I get to help them become better musicians as well as better teammates,” Singer said.

Music students can get involved in ensembles outside their school district, including joining the Long Island Youth Orchestra (LIYO) or Nassau-Suffolk Performing Arts.

“I wish there were more,” Warnokoski said about outside organizations for music students.

LIYO hopes to foster a community of musicians on Long Island and across the globe. Those involved in LIYO

share the connections made throughout the rest of their lives. An upcoming LIYO concert is scheduled for June 2 at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center.

Nassau-Suffolk Performing Arts is another organization on Long Island that hopes to foster a community for musicians across Long Island, including the metropolitan area. The organization focuses on different types of symphonic and jazz ensembles. Members grow their love for music through yearly performance.

“Music is a journey,” DellaMonica said. “Each year, [students] get taken on a musical journey of improvement on their instruments for themselves and as an ensemble.”

For music education students trying

Clockwise from top left: Bethpage High School marching band performing at the Newsday Marching Band Festival. Hofstra Pep Band Coordinator, Andrew Singer, conducting during a basketball game. Garden City High School Performing at the Newsday Marching Band Festival. // Courtesy Kristen Warnokowski; photo by Josie Racette; courtesy Dan DellaMonica

to become a middle or high school music director themselves, connecting with high school band directors creates networking opportunities. Many students keep in contact with their former band directors, or meet other music education students while attending college or university. DellaMonia and Singer both attended Hofstra University and participated in the pep band together.

“If you can do what you love for a living and thrive, both mentally and financially, then that’s the goal,” Singer said. “You’re living the dream.”

Communities are built around music, including high school marching bands and outside ensembles, and those musicians are able to reach out to the public through their performances. Band directors are readily available to help former students grow into music educators themselves.

Is Influencing De-influencing Individualism?

With growth of social media trends, users battle with self-image

BY LILLY MULLANEY

Many people, especially the up and coming generation, struggle with a new concept of self in a world of influencer-based social media culture. We are in a time where trend cycles move so rapidly that something new becomes old in less than a month, and we are bombarded with marketing 24/7.

You cannot go online without seeing videos of influencers marketing themselves as a brand. Their look, style, name, anything individual about them is considered part of their branding and makes them stand out from the rest. Being active and participating in social media forces you to brand yourself and put yourself into a category. Are you a Lana Del Rey coquette girl or more of a mob wife aesthetic?

“I would say Instagram and TikTok are used more for a social comparison and validation looking for likes, comments and how many people follow you,” said Jessica Leeb, co-owner of

Collaborative Therapy of Long Island. “It definitely has an impact on people’s individuality due to comparing yourself to anyone and everyone out there, without realizing that for some of these influencers, this is their full time job.”

She has seen this issue come up more in her work and with her clients over the years, especially in young women.

“Teenagers and younger girls compare themselves to fitness platforms whose job it is to look the way they do when for a student they have school and a job so they cannot be comparing themselves,” Leeb said. “Everyone’s self-esteem gets limited. It’s hard to tell sometimes with the younger clientele whether their depression is from social media or from school in general because it can blend so much. I have noticed more people bringing up social media as a trigger that is contributing to their issues.”

Trend categories are limiting for expression, yet everyone is desperately

trying to fit themselves into one singular aesthetic. Going on Instagram or TikTok, users see thousands of videos about how to dress like the ‘rockstar girlfriend aesthetic’ or how to fit into the ‘cowboy coastal’ look. Isn’t it tiresome that people can’t be themselves without having to fit a mold?

A study from the McMaster Undergraduate Journal of Social Psychology found that 51% of people consider themselves likely to follow someone’s opinions online, with 16.2% labeling themselves as ‘neutral’ on the position.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

A student poll showed 100% agreed that rapid trend cycles take away from individuality and personal style.

“Influencers currently run social media,” said 19-year-old psychology major Riley Dennis. “There is no avoiding them. I think a lot of people take everything they do and say to heart and try to shape themselves around these things.”

Influencing is not the only part of social media that is detrimental to individualism. Filters and editing play a huge part in setting unrealistic beauty standards. The concept of ‘iPhone face’ is where people start to look the same due to forced beauty standards undervaluing unique individualized features.

“On TikTok there are so many different filters that make people look completely different from what they are,” Dennis explained. “Not only do they make people who are viewing the videos insecure, they make the people who are using the TikTok features insecure.”

Robby Foster, Collaborative Therapy of Long Island co-owner and

shifting their lives to be like someone else that they see on social media.

“Social media can be good and can be bad. Some people find communities they can connect with, but there’s the other side where they are looking at themselves and others’ images and thinking that’s where they are supposed to be, leading to unrealistic expectations of themselves. Social media is far bigger now than it was before. Someone can absolutely develop anxiety or depression that is social media-related because it has become such a big part of peo-

Foster said it well that social media and influencer culture, although it clearly has its downfalls

and room for improvement, it has also led to a lot of positivity for some. There’s a line between sharing interests and building community online and people taking it too far into something obsessive or unhealthy.

Long Island Art Museums Offer a thought-provoking Experience

Street and surrealist exhibitions fill university, century-old mansion

BY NELL STULTZ

Inside an intricate Georgian mansion on the North Shore of Long Island lies some unexpected items: colorful spray-painted panels, decorated leather jackets and an ink-covered fridge. All are part of an exhibition on New York City’s urban and street art of the last 40 years

at the Nassau County Museum of Art, one of several art museums on Long Island that offers a unique experience for art aficionados to explore.

“We strive to be the best suburban museum out there,” said Franklin Hill Perrell, the chief curator of the Nassau County Museum of Art. “People come to us as yet another cultural attraction in the metropolitan area.”

Local art museums are often smaller spaces.

To Alexandra Giordano, the director of the Hofstra University Museum of Art, the process of curating an exhibit for the space is “like putting together

a puzzle.”

“We want what we’re doing to be really relevant to the community on campus and our students and the community at large,” Giordano said. “But the fun part is then saying, OK, this is what the exhibition is going to be about, and then telling that story through pictures and being really thoughtful about placement and the types of art that are included. It’s all about communication.”

Both museums show that a local art institution can offer something special. The Nassau Museum, for example, boasts over 40 outdoor sculptures across 145 acres of land. “There’s a certain intimacy,” Perrell said. “We always try to do shows that other people are not doing; we try to do our own thing … There’s a variety of activities that you can experience at the Nassau County Museum that you can’t do

All photos by Nell Stultz

anywhere else.”

Meanwhile, as an academic museum with over 5,000 pieces of art in its permanent collection, the Hofstra Museum also serves as a scholarly resource for school groups who visit the museum regularly and for its archives. “We’re like a library,” Giordano said. “Re-

search is being written based on exhibitions that we’ve had here … [Art museums] should be a space where people go for information and primary source documents and to interface with authentic objects, and a resource for studying history and humanity.”

Long Island is home to sever-

al other art museums along with generally easy access to museums in New York City. “I think it’s a cultural oasis and a real haven for art lovers on Long Island,” said Alex Maccaro, the assistant curator at the Nassau County Museum of Art. “They can access culture, they can view art, they can just immerse themselves in an environment that is welcoming and very educational as well.”

“It’s one of those things that adds to quality of life, that makes life worth living,” Perrell said. “You can have it all right here on Long Island if you know where to look.”

Through July 26, the Hofstra University Museum of Art is hosting “Les Visionnaires: In the Modernist Spirit,” an exploration of French avant-garde art and surrealism. The Nassau County Museum of Art is displaying “Urban Art Evolution,” featuring artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, through July 7.

Left: “Free Money” (2001) by Tom Otterness is one of the 41 outdoor sculptures found at the Nassau County Museum of Art.

Above: The museum was originally designed and constructed in 1900 by architect Ogden Codman Jr.

Drawings by Jean-Michel Basquiat are among the many pieces by New York City artists featured within “Urban Art Evolution.”

“The break from it all...”

College students uncover the power of podcast

BY LARA RYDESKY

Banter is the bread and butter of “Waiting for Davidson,” a podcast created by three sophomores at Hofstra University, though they will never say the school’s name aloud. Even among their winding, trash-talk-filled chats, Brendan Dugan, Andrew Schilling and Kevin O’Neill have a number of things they refuse to say on air, just one of many running jokes on their show.

In October 2022, the three at-thetime freshmen were taking a radio production course. One night, they found themselves working on a class project in room 141a where, surrounded by microphones, speakers and soundboards, they had the idea to start a podcast.

“Kevin was editing on the computers, and Brendan was fooling around with the equipment and we were like, ‘What if we started a podcast?’” said Schilling, a sophomore filmmaking major. “Everybody was a little on the fence about it at first, but—”

“But then I said let’s do it right now!” Dugan, a sophomore screenwriting major, chimed in.

“ — and then we hooked up the mics and pressed record.”

The ensuing conversation became their first episode. Now, over a year

and 36 episodes later, they sit in the very same seats as they did that first night to record their latest episode.

Stories like “Waiting for Davidson’s” are becoming more common as podcasting has steadily risen in popularity over the last several years, especially among younger generations. According to a 2022 report by Edison Research titled “The Creators,” 58 percent of podcaster are age 34 and younger.

“I remember being in high school and it was big for white guys in their twenties to think that what they had to say was so important that they had to make a podcast about it,” Schilling said.

Listeners tend to be younger too, with 48 percent of monthly podcast consumers being ages 12-34, while

only 18 percent are 55 or older, according to a 2023 “Infinite Dial” report by Edison Research.

“Podcast is essentially this new medium for young people who haven’t always listened to radio,” said Doualy Xaykaothao, an NPR radio journalist and professor at Hofstra. “Young people aren’t moving around as much, listening to radio less, therefore filling that niche with podcasts.”

But it’s not just young people; podcasting has increased in popularity across all age groups. In 2023, Edison reported that 64 percent of Americans listen to podcasts on a monthly basis, and the average time spent listening to podcasts has doubled since 2013.

Spotify, one of the most well-known audio hosting platforms, boasts over 5 million unique podcast titles that range in topic from politics, to food, to true crime.

“The power of podcast is actually the diversity of voices and the diversity of topics,” said Xaykaothao. “You truly can find podcasts on gardening, on fishing, on making five different versions of your grandmother’s cheesecakes, and that has an audience.”

Audience, to Xaykaothao, is one of the main factors that drives the popu-

Kevin O’Neill (left) and Brendan Dugan (right) record the latest episode of their podcast “Waiting for Davidson.”

Andrew Schilling reads through the outline for today’s episode, including the latest Pete Davidson News.

larity of podcasts in both consumers and creators.

“People for generations have gravitated towards building community within soccer leagues, within hockey leagues, within basketball,” she said. “And when you create a much tighter community, people are gonna listen.”

While “Waiting for Davidson,” hasn’t yet built up a large following, they still have occasional interactions with listeners, something that “scares the shit out of” Brendan Dugan.

“I’ll tell a story and somebody will say ‘I think I heard you say that before, I don’t know where, maybe it was on the podcast,’ and I’m like f—k man,” he said, legs swung comfortably over the arm of his chair.. “Y’all know my life before I even get to tell you.”

“Really our audience is just our friends,” said O’Neill. “I just agree with Brendan...”

He trails off, and looks to Schilling.

You gave me a look. What?

That’s a look bro, you’re like—

I apologize. I didn’t give you a look, I’m just looking at you.

Y’all are f—ing starting already. No, it’s not a bad look, it’s just a look

The conversation between them flows easily as they dissolve into laughter and playful ribbing. This, Xaykaothao believes, is the power of audio.

Unlike the college-aged familiarity and easy wit of “Waiting for Davidson,” Xaykaothao speaks with an intensity, slow with weighty pauses and clear, crisp consonants. She speaks with power and heft, and you hang onto every word she says, something that, without a microphone, can never be properly expressed through words.

“If the audio is recorded right, then you instantly feel something and for me, life is about feeling. Life is about—” she breathed deep here, and blew it out like punctuation. “breathing and pacing and being pushed by voices that you don’t hear often.”

By their own admission, “Waiting for Davison” is nothing serious.

“I certainly think that what we say does have value, but we’re doing this for fun. Above all we’re doing this for fun,” said Schilling.

Crossfade Collective, a sketch and musical comedy media group created by the three of them and fellow friends Ryan Kelley and Meredith Tarsi, is something they take much more seriously.

“This is kinda the break from it all, very stress free,” said Schilling.

“I love doing ‘Waiting for Davison,’ there’s nothing about this I hate doing at all, and I feel like I can’t say that about everything else,” Dugan agreed.

As for their aspirations with the podcast, it’s in the name; “Waiting for Davidson” vows to continue making episodes until Pete Davidson agrees to guest host, a purposefully lofty goal.

“We’re not doing this to get Pete Davidson in our lives, we’re doing it so we can talk every week, and we can have fun and share it with people,” said Schilling.

Dugan echoed that sentiment later, as the three set up to record their next episode. “I think that’s the thing that makes what we do special actually, because there is a very big love for one another and for the work that we do together,” he said. “That’s why the hell I’m here, thirty-something episodes— What the hell episodes? 35? 35 f—ing episodes—”

“37 episodes later, I’m still doing this f—ing thing,” Dugan finished with a laugh.

And so, episode 37 began.

37. It’s 37.

He wrote 35!

Oh... no. This is 37.

Kevin O’Neill

Kevin O’Neill

Andrew Schilling

Andrew Schilling

Kevin O’Neill

Andrew Schilling

Kevin O’Neill

Brendan Dugan

O’Neill, Dugan and Schilling recorded audio and video, a new format for this episode.

Kevin O’Neill

Andrew Schilling

Brendan Dugan

Old Westbury Gardens: Made for TV

One of the most coveted film locations is right here on Long Island—and you can visit it today

BY MAKENZIE HURT

Hidden from the hustle and bustle of Long Island is over 200 acres of lush gardens, crystal clear ponds and historic architecture dating back to 1906. Old Westbury Gardens is a heavily coveted location that allows one to escape the suburban jungle and become immersed in an English country manor that serves as a sought-after filming location.

The estate has been used as a set by films such as “American Gangster,” starring Denzel Washington, and “Wolf,” starring Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeifer, along with television shows like “The Gilded Age” and “Sex and the City.”

Old Westbury Gardens was built in 1906 by George A. Crawley and was lived in by the affluent John S. Phipps and his family.

“American Gangster” was filmed at Old Westbury Gardens in 2006. // Still image via Universal Pictures

It was converted into a museum in 1959. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to be looked after and cherished by its staff.

Paul Hunchak has acted as the gardens’ director of visitor services, public programs and exhibits since 2001. “We have everything to offer here,” Hunchak said. “American Gangster” filmed at the location in 2006, and Hunchak reflected on the experience, stating, “They wanted that British estate feel, but they also needed somewhere to shoot on a dirt road to look like Central Park, so we were able to transform a sideroad on our property.”

The historic sight may be easily transformed into exactly what the film crew wants, but it has so much to offer on its own that drastic trans-

formations are a rarity. While the entertainment industry takes to the location, it’s also a staple amongst Long Island residents for proposals, weddings, photography shoots and other special events.

Jarrod Pfeifer, a Long Island native, has always enjoyed going to the location. “It’s very well-kept and preserved. Since I was a kid, the integrity of Old Westbury Gardens has stayed the same if not improved,” Pfeifer said.

Despite Long Island growing and changing in the span of over 100 years, Old Westbury Gardens’ legacy has remained the same. “It’s not like anything in the area. You come in from the city and start to see the suburbs, but once you enter the property it’s like something you’ve never seen before,” Hunchak said.

Pfeifer agreed, saying that Old Westbury Gardens “breaks up some of the commercial and city life with something you’d see in a movie or book.” Pfeifer said he has seen many of the movies and television shows filmed at the gardens and is “always proud that it’s so close to home.”

The way that Old Westbury Gardens perfectly encapsulates a picturesque English estate makes it not only the perfect film location, but it also serves as a reminder of the hidden gems nestled throughout Long Island.

For more information about Old Westbury Gardens, visit OldWestburyGardens.org

Photos via Wikimedia Commons // Still images of movie scenes, Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Music Promotion in the Digital Age

BY TIMOTHY DALY

Part time indie rocker, part time content influencer Andrew Vance’s instagram bio reads “making music + marketing it.” As the guitarist for the Los Angeles band Wilt, Vance’s mission is one of great relevance to the landscape of music in the digital age. Wilt, like other artists is given a challenge unique to this generation of musicians: self-promotion. Just as social media has opened up more opportunities for musicians to release music and reach independent success, it has also made artists bear the brunt of advertising themselves.

Wilt’s instagram is filled with brand building: vlogs, references to memes, relatable content about the struggles of touring and more, all helping to characterize themselves to their 135,000 Instagram followers. These engagement virtuosos hook passing scrollers into their music through the use of ironic or sarcastic captions over videos of their performances. Wilt’s social media ambitions are not unique, and they especially aren’t exempt from the common goal of musicians on social media, which is virality.

“When we make videos we think what our goals are—promoting new music, shows, merch—and how we can reach more fans,” Vance said. “Going viral is always the goal.”

“Going viral” isn’t something just sought by up-and-comers anymore. Labels have become privy to how much internet sensation can increase sales. This was brought into the limelight in 2022, when multiple prominent artists such as Halsey and Florence Welch came forward with complaints that they were being forced by their labels to make TikToks, and, in Halsey’s case, songs needed to go viral before they would be released.

The labels are pushing this with

In an era of TikTok trends and Spotify playlists, can artists reach success without social media?

good reason. This year’s trending songs like “End of Beginning” by Djo, and “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone became certified hits after going viral on TikTok. Smaller artist’s careers have launched into stardom overnight on the platform, with artists like Lil Nas X and Lizzo becoming household names with lasting careers after initially blowing up on TikTok.

Anyone who has gone on TikTok has seen the ways musicians try and replicate this type of success. Sometimes they use the same snippet from a song over and over, hoping that it will become a viral audio on the app that will be used by others. This is especially the case if it is easy to lip-sync to or if the lyrics are relatable.

Before social media turned music promotion towards lip-syncing and dance challenges, music promotion and release only came through established organizations. Artists needed support from labels, radio stations, print and television to market themselves. In this exclusive environment, attention from outlets like Rolling Stone, and MTV could make or break careers, which was a bleak reality for those without industry connections. With social media, the playing field has leveled, and an artist’s chances at fame are more in their own hands.

“What’s changed in the industry is technology has provided the opportunity for artists to have direct interaction with fans,” said Terrance

Photo by Micharl Arroyo

Lower Barrier to Entry:

Tompkins, a Music Business professor at Hofstra University. “That has changed the way artists promote and engage with fans, and has led to more opportunities for artists to not sign with a major label, or any label at all and still have a career, to not have to go through gatekeepers.”

With the lack of “gatekeepers” in the industry, the sheer volume of music that makes it to listeners has increased dramatically. The excessive amount of music that can be found online has created a greater competition for listeners’ ears. In order to grow an audience among the millions of other artists that released music that year, artists need to use social media to differentiate themselves.

For Wilt, their current angle for content is based on what types of posts were effective for them.

“Usually our posts that do the best have a comedic tone,” Vance said. “That tends to set us apart from other bands in our genre.”

On their Instagram, there are videos joking about how they all moved into the same one bedroom apartment, making fun of their bassist for playing too many fills, and even joking about how they are labeled a “content band.” Just as artists have to find their artistic identity, it is important to find their niche in their online presence to build a brand.

Long gone are the days of artists playing shows and sending out demos hoping to catch a label’s attention. Now, artists are their own promoters from day one, even if they still hope to be signed. Their social media success provides labels a litmus test for their future marketability.

Tompkins, who worked in the music industry himself, has seen the way labels choose which artists to promote and how that has changed in the digital age.

“When I did A&R for Columbia in the 2000s, I would tell managers, don’t worry about shopping music to me because it worked very differently back then,” Tompkins said. “We’d hear music, and we’d use our instincts to determine if an artist had potential to reach a larger audience. Now artists have to do it on their own.”

Tompkins doesn’t see a path for success for artists who do not engage in self promotion.

“A lot of artists, they don’t want to do all the other stuff, they just want to write songs, record songs and play shows, and you can’t succeed like that today,” Tompkins said.

Along with social media being necessary to promote and grow one’s brand, it is also necessary for artists to maintain and communicate with their existing audiences. Social media is not just a primary way of content consumption, but communication. Even if artists aren’t chasing online clout, social media has become the easiest way for artists to directly communicate with their core fanbase, especially if it’s smaller.

For Malachy McFadden, frontman of Queens-based band The Slow Burns, social media is a responsibility he begrudgingly accepts.

“I’m a private person and I don’t love being online, but I need some way for people to know when we have shows or release music,” McFadden said.

Mcfadden has used a variety of strategies to communicate with his audience, but none have been as effective as social media.

“It’s the only way to easily reach as many people as I can,” McFadden said. “Nobody does email lists, if I call who would pick up the phone? I don’t even know how I would get all those contacts, it would be so much time.”

Data from Spotify ‘s Loud and clear report

Courtesy of The Slow Burns

OneHitWonder! Songs MakingMoviesPopul ar

BY LILLY MULLANEY

Just in the past year, numerous movies have had one song that stuck out from the soundtrack and gained instant popularity from the exposure from the film alone, helping movie sales as well as the popularity of said song and artist.

Ones that come to mind are: “Murder on the Dance Floor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor in “Saltburn,” “Crimson and Clover” by Joan Jett in “Priscilla” and “Unwritten” by Nastasha Bedingfield in “Anyone But You.” All three movies came out just this past year, and much of their marketing and dialogue surrounding the films included these noteworthy songs that were used in important scenes.

When asked about how a song can add to a movie in a student poll, junior film major Michelle Bowie

said, “Music has so much emotion in it and has the ability to almost flow through you, forcing you to feel. Curating movie soundtracks is a whole process and a difficult job to obtain because of how important music is.”

In a graduate study for the University of Twente in the Netherlands, Raggil Suliza found that good music selections for movie trailers increases viewership because of the emotional connection made with the consumer, and it is a more memorable

experience. On the topic of music familiarity in the context of movie soundtracks, Suliza wrote, “By experiencing familiarity of a certain music, a person will easily be attracted to the content displayed with that music.”

Another senior student, Kelly Elkowitz, commented, “I think the soundtrack completely influences the movie’s overall tone and message. If a good movie has a terrible soundtrack, it completely throws me off and I don’t enjoy watching it as much.”

In the student polling, 100% of students said they had gone to a movie just to hear a single song scene, as well as listened to a movie soundtrack after watching said film.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Barry Keoghan in “Saltburn.” // Photo via Wkimedia Commons

Long Island sound mixer and music video producer Alex Majewski, also known as ‘‘J Sky,’’ shared his insight on the importance of music to film and visual arts.

“The story and the scene itself has some kind of dialogue and an emotional relationship, so by adding music you are pairing those two things together to enhance them to the best of their ability,” explained Majewski.

He added, “Some people when they listen to music they imagine things or certain memories like the soundtrack to their life, so when you have dialogue and plot going on in a movie they are taking these two things and pairing them together, making it cater to all of our senses.”

This phenomenon of music and film is certainly not new, but social media marketing has made single song scene marketing tactics more prominent. For example, after the release of “Saltburn,” Bextor’s song, which originally came out in 2001,was suddenly in the Hot 100 for the first time 22 years after its release, thanks to its prominent

role in the hit movie.

However, songs and movies have been correlated with each other for years; in the student poll, multiple responses cited “Titanic’s” use of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On’’ as a song movie combo.

Some of the most memorable scenes in film are what they are because of their accom panying song or soundtrack. The combination of both these mediums continues to improve.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Music video producer Alex Majewski, also known as ‘‘J Sky.’’ // Courtesy Alex Majewski

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