LCSD Fine Arts Hall of Fame Inducts Six

Six individuals were inducted into the Liverpool Central School District Fine Arts Hall of Fame on June 12. The Hall of Fame is sponsored by VITAL (Vision in the Arts at Liverpool).

Mary (LaCasse) Biddlecombe is director of the Vanderbilt Blair Academy and artistic director of the Blair Children’s Chorus, where she oversees six graded youth choirs. In addition, she teaches collegiate courses in music education & choral literature, and conducts the Vanderbilt University Treble Singers. Biddlecombe taught music at every grade level in the public schools of New York, Georgia and Florida for 10 years. She is a renowned specialist in children’s voices, particularly middle school and secondary choral settings. Choirs under her direction have performed for conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and have toured nationally & internationally. The Blair Children’s Chorus also is a frequent collaborator with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Biddlecombe is a passionate advocate for music education. She has served as conductor for all-state choirs for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia as well as regional honor choirs in a dozen states. She also has served as conductor for two regional Youth Honor Choirs (Southern and Southwest region) of the American Choral Directors Association. She is a proud graduate of Liverpool High School and holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the Crane School Music at SUNY Potsdam.

After graduating from LHS in 1999, Tommy Lincoln earned a bachelor’s degree from Cazenovia College in visual communications and a Master of Science from Syracuse University. Lincoln went on to work at a handful of advertising and design agencies. Along with chairing the Public Arts Task Force, he also has taught design at Syracuse University and Cazenovia College. After traveling the cosmos of different design jobs Lincoln started the company Stay Fresh, a local design and creative agency. Through art, design, Web sites, fashion, and photography, Lincoln and his crew at Stay Fresh help carve and maintain the visual landscape of Syracuse and beyond.

Stan Howard is a professional saxophonist who graduated from LHS in 1990. Activities and accomplishments during his time at Liverpool included: two-time scholarship recipient to Eastern U.S. Music Camp, Junior & Senior High All-County, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Chorale, Vocal Jazz Choir, Spanish Musical, LHS Musical, and LHS “Most Outstanding Musician” award. Howard also was a member of the NYS Fair Gospel Choir as a vocalist and musician for six years under the direction of Vivian Howard, and represented Central NYS in Los Angeles at the national NAACP ACT-SO competition on tenor saxophone in the classical music genre. Howard earned a music scholarship to Howard University, and later Norfolk State University, and played both tenor and baritone saxophone for the Howard Jazz Ensemble. Over the years, Howard has shared a stage with artists including Branford Marsalis, Illinois Jacquet, Roy Hargrove, Earl Klugh, Vince Preister, Rogers Brown, Amos Davis, and David Allen. In 2017, Howard was recognized as the longest-tenured performer for his 25 years of service in Virginia Beach’s “Live on Atlantic ‘’ program.

Joseph Filio taught for 30 years at LHS as Concert Band, Concert Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Stage Band, and Marching Band director. He also served as music department chair and advisor to the Winter Guard and Winter Percussion programs. Filio served as president of the NYS Field Band Conference and member of the NYS Band Directors Executive Board. Under his leadership, the LHS band program has performed across the country and has presented clinics throughout NYS. Filio is a founding member of VITAL along with James Spadafore and Joseph Spado Sr.

As a 2009 LHS graduate, Kelly Marie Wilson’s love for music and musical theater was only surpassed by her talent. Wilson was involved in the fine arts department from her elementary through high school years. She participated in Chorus, Concert Chorale, FAME, numerous musicals and was named the “Outstanding Concert Chorale Member” in 2009, as voted on by her peers. Wilson had the honor of performing the National Anthem as a soloist at her high school graduation ceremony and sang the anthem at each girls varsity swim meet where she was a team captain. She also was a frequent guest soloist with the Liverpool Community Chorus. Wilson went on to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University at Buffalo in 2015 and was a beloved pharmacist at Wegmans. Wilson passed away in July 2017, but through her giving spirit and love for music, she remains a true inspiration.

Bruce Aubrey is the lead pastor at Northside Church in Liverpool where he has served since 1993. He and his wife, Kathy, have four children, Andrea, Dave, Charity and Emily who participated in the music and arts program and are graduates of LHS. Aubrey graduated from Franklin Academy High School in Malone, NY, where he played clarinet in the wind ensemble and alto saxophone in the jazz band. He studied piano for nine years and sang in the chorale in college. He received his bachelor’s from Roberts Wesleyan College, a master’s from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University. He has served in ministry in churches for more than 44 years. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve in the Liverpool community and be an encourager to faculty, students and the arts.