Riverhead sax player adds to school history with perfect NYSSMA scores

The rich, warm tones of Christian Seymour’s saxophone cut through the stillness, each note deliberate and precise. Day after day, the Riverhead High School senior carved out an hour to get his solo for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) just right.

The shaggy-haired musician’s commitment not only paid off — it made him join an elite group of Riverhead musicians.

Christian became the latest Riverhead student to get perfect 100 scores on his NYSSMA evaluations for not one, but two instruments — the alto saxophone and the baritone saxophone.

“It was really a rewarding-type of feeling, that I could see the result of all the hard work I put in,” Christian told the News-Review.

The accomplishment earned him a coveted spot playing alto saxophone in the New York State All-State symphonic band, where he’ll perform alongside other top high school musicians in Rochester in December.

Christian’s musical journey began long before this senior year triumph. He’s been participating in NYSSMA festivals every year since sixth grade, steadily building his skills on saxophone, clarinet, piano and guitar. At Riverhead High School, he’s immersed himself in the music program, participating in jazz ensemble and wind ensemble.

“The Riverhead music program has helped me a lot to prepare and improve,” Christian said. “Watching the kids who graduated before me really inspired me to try and be as good as them. It was just a really good experience.”

His preparation for this year’s NYSSMA evaluation began in August with his private lesson teacher. Together, they selected solos that would showcase Christian’s abilities and began the meticulous work of perfecting every detail.

“We started looking at solos. I found the one that I thought I’d be able to perform the best and I’d practiced almost every day,” Christian explained. “A lot of work trying to get down the tricky parts and the rhythms and putting as much expression into it as possible.”

Riverhead High School band director Joseph Randazzo has watched Christian’s musical evolution since that sixth-grade beginning. He described Christian as “a driven musician with a mature sense of artistry with his instrument.”

“Since then, he has continually demonstrated a high level of preparation and devotion to his musical activities, which has been inspiring to watch,” Randazzo said in a press release. “I am thrilled for him to have this experience to perform with other like-minded musicians from across the state.”

Now, Christian will get to showcase his talent at the 89th annual NYSSMA Winter Conference at the end of the year.

“I’ll get the music. Then I prepare a recording of me playing it by November to submit for the seating arrangements and then, in December, I go up for three days to Rochester and perform with everyone else in practice together,” Christian explained.

His mother, Amy Seymour, reflected on watching her son’s musical development over the years.

“Christian has always had a love and aptitude for music, and it has been a joy to watch him grow and perform over the years,” she said via email. “We could not be more proud of his hard work and dedication, and it is amazing to see him being honored for his exceptional music talent. We cannot wait to hear him play at All-State in Rochester this December!”

As Christian looks toward college, he finds himself at a crossroads between two passions: music and mathematics. Regardless of which path he chooses, one thing remains certain.

“I’m in between going to school for music or going to school for math, but I’m definitely going to keep it a part of my life no matter what I do,” he said.