Superintendent’s Artist of the Week: Caroline Castellano

Winter concerts make this a busy time of the year for Warwick Valley Central School District musicians. Just ask Warwick Valley Middle School sixth grader Caroline Castellano.

Caroline will be playing violin in the Sixth Grade Winter Orchestra Concert and with the Sixth Grade Chamber Orchestra. In addition, she’ll be singing – and featured with a solo – in the Sixth Grade Winter Chorus Concert. Finally, she will be playing the ukulele and singing with the Ukulele Club when they perform in downtown Warwick for the holidays.

“Caroline does it all,” said WVMS chorus teacher Shane Peters. “If there’s something that involves music, she’s doing it. She is just always volunteering for everything. If there’s a solo, she wants to do it. And she’s super humble about it all too.”

Caroline, who Mr. Peters called a great vocalist, made the All-County Chorus last year and is going to audition again this year. 

At the chorus concert, Caroline will be performing a solo of “I Think I Kinda, You Know” from the High School Musical series.

“Caroline is very good at it,” Mr. Peters said. “She’s got this really cool, pop-songy voice. She’s very talented.”

Caroline started playing the violin in fourth grade. She thought the violin would be the best instrument to play because it has the highest notes. Learning how to play the right notes was hard at first, but she figured that out.

“Caroline is a wonderful violin player and all-around musician,” WVMS music teacher Tamara Moser said.  “She is always a team player and is eager to learn. We are so lucky to have her in our music department.”

This year Caroline volunteered to play in the new Sixth Grade Chamber Orchestra, an honors orchestra that practices during lunch. The chamber orchestra will be providing live music for the fourth grade moving up ceremonies at both elementary schools in June.

“Caroline is a wonderful girl,” Ms. Moser said.  “She has a very quiet and gentle presence, but she is a strong leader. Caroline leads by example and leads by her sound. She is just a model student and a model citizen.”

Caroline enjoys playing and singing with the orchestra, chorus and Ukulele Club because she said it’s fun to play with her friends.

Academically, Caroline’s favorite subject is math, and she made the WVMS honor roll for the first marking period. Caroline also plays center midfielder on a Warwick  travel soccer team.

Warwick Valley Middle School sixth grader Caroline Castellan on Dec. 7, 2022. She is the Superintendent’s Artist of the Week.