William Floyd High School senior Kellie Tang, one of eight student-musicians selected as New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State for this school year, recently had the opportunity to perform in the piano showcase at last month’s All-State festival, a prestigious honor and the first for a William Floyd student in district history. Kellie was just one of 12 selected out of 95 applicants from across the state. She performed Beethoven’s Sonata No. 17, Mvt. 3 (The Tempest) in the Rochester Convention Center’s Lilac Ballroom.

Kellie, who is legally blind, maintains a 98+ grade point average, takes numerous advanced placement classes, plays in the William Floyd High School orchestra and sings in the chorus. She has been studying piano since kindergarten and has had the opportunity to participate in the Stony Brook University young artist program for the past two years, as well as participate in the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music mentor program and the Cleveland Institute of Music summer piano intensive. She also received extremely high marks at the National Piano Guild auditions and had the opportunity to perform in concert at New York City’s famed Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. She plans on pursuing piano performance in college.