Bernie Williams at NRHS on Sept. 19

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On Thursday, Sept. 19. 2019, The Rockland Conservatory of Music hosted the fund-raisier, Bernie Williams and Friends, at North Rockland High School in Thiells, N.Y.

The Friends included the Dan Orlando Band and North Rockland H.S. Jazz. Band. The Dan Orlando band features Dan Orlando, vocals and keyboards; Greg Orlando, bass guitar; Zachary Stehura, drums; Erik Piza, percussion.

Bernie Williams played guitar as the North Rockland High School Jazz Band performed Feeling Good, by L. Bricusse and A. Newly and Cold Duck Time, by Eddie Harris.

Rockland Conservatory of Music (RCM)’s motto is “Changing Lives, One Note at a Time.” A non-profit music school, RCM offers music lessons to anyone, regardless of ability to pay, to further its mission of making music accessible to all.

National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) unites non-profit organizations, schools and businesses to assure that music education is supported in all communities. Bernie Williams is a spokesman for NAMM so that is how the fundraiser came about.

Bernie Williams, is also a national spokesperson for Breathless, an educational awareness campaign for Ideopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a lung disease with no cure that claimed the Bernabe Senio, Bernie’s father.

On Sept. 13, Bernie Williams celebrated his 51st birthday. 51 was the number he wore for 16 years as the New York Yankee center-fielder. After the concert, Bernie said that he would never forget “300-400 people spontaneously singing “Happy Birthday” to him acappella in the (North Rockland) auditorium.

Submitted by Jeannine Rippa

  Bernie Williams, NRHS, Rockland Conservatory of Music