Nate Barnett - Rush-Henrietta
By: Maureen McGuire
Updated: May 17, 2010
He may be looking at the future conductor of a big-city symphony orchestra. Nate Barnett is a talented and charismatic musician who draws others in.
His teachers at Rush-Henrietta High School so believe in him that they presented him with a baton.
"So much about the face is important in conducting," said Nate. "You're showing the orchestra how they should be playing the music, and you can do a lot with a little smile or flick of the hand. You can tell them so much about how the music is so really, I'm just excited about it."
Nate leads in other ways too. He's an extraordinary violinist, a phenomenal pianist, and a beautiful singer. In 2008, he and his school choir performed in Carnegie Hall with the National Youth Choir, under the guidance of famed conductor Simon Carrington. Of all the students, he chose Nate to sing solo.
"It was crazy and kind of scary but awesome because Carnegie Hall is one of the best places to perform in the world," said Nate. "I was 15 and got to sing an operatic solo there, which was really cool."
"Several years back after playing a solo one of the adjudicators came out and said, 'that kid gets it,' and I think that's the whole thing," said orchestra teacher Nancy Guilfoyle. "Nate has the whole package. He hears, he plays, he understands music."
Nate's achievements feed his desire to compose and conduct.
"It's a responsibility but it's one you really enjoy, because you're just in charge of making it sound great, and that's awesome."
Nate will attend Yale University. He'll major in music with a concentration in composition. After that, he intends to get a masters degree in conducting. And then, the sky's the limit.
His teachers at Rush-Henrietta High School so believe in him that they presented him with a baton.
"So much about the face is important in conducting," said Nate. "You're showing the orchestra how they should be playing the music, and you can do a lot with a little smile or flick of the hand. You can tell them so much about how the music is so really, I'm just excited about it."
Nate leads in other ways too. He's an extraordinary violinist, a phenomenal pianist, and a beautiful singer. In 2008, he and his school choir performed in Carnegie Hall with the National Youth Choir, under the guidance of famed conductor Simon Carrington. Of all the students, he chose Nate to sing solo.
"It was crazy and kind of scary but awesome because Carnegie Hall is one of the best places to perform in the world," said Nate. "I was 15 and got to sing an operatic solo there, which was really cool."
"Several years back after playing a solo one of the adjudicators came out and said, 'that kid gets it,' and I think that's the whole thing," said orchestra teacher Nancy Guilfoyle. "Nate has the whole package. He hears, he plays, he understands music."
Nate's achievements feed his desire to compose and conduct.
"It's a responsibility but it's one you really enjoy, because you're just in charge of making it sound great, and that's awesome."
Nate will attend Yale University. He'll major in music with a concentration in composition. After that, he intends to get a masters degree in conducting. And then, the sky's the limit.
