TJ Ballesteros is a senior at Pascack Valley High School, and is excited to be Tri-M President. TJ took Concert Choir and Lunch Choir in his freshman year. From sophomore year to now senior year, TJ has taken Chamber Choir. In addition, he auditions and performs for honors choirs such as Bergen County Choir and Regional Choir. He also participates in Brosquad, the all-male acapella group that meets after school. Outside of school, TJ takes piano lessons with Irene Panagakos and has been studying piano for 13 years. He has competed at various piano competitions, gaining the opportunity to perform at Merkin Hall and Carnegie Hall multiple times. TJ is very passionate about music and wants to share his musical talents with everyone.

Elizabeth Barlow is a bassoonist and singer in the Pascack Valley music programs. She thoroughly enjoys creating and performing music with her classmates, as well as her music educators. Outside of school, she has been accepted into several honors groups including Bergen County Band, Bergen County Choir, Region Band, Region Choir, and Region orchestra in her seventh, eighth, and ninth grade years. Elizabeth recently joined New Jersey Youth Symphony, a highly competitive orchestra, where she and several talented musicians are able to make music once a week at rehearsals, and perform about five times a year in many prestigious concert halls. She joined this group in ninth grade for the first time, and enjoyed it so much that she successfully auditioned for the group in tenth grade. This year, she has participated in many virtual concerts hosted by New Jersey Youth Symphony, which just shows that music can be shared, no matter the circumstances!

Gabrielle Brayman is an avid vocalist. As a younger child, she performed and had solos in numerous musicals, including Grease, The Lion King, and The Wizard of Oz. She has joined the school concert and select choirs since elementary school. Gabrielle has also worked alongside her voice coach Jennifer Cece at Westwood Music Studios, where she expanded the versatility of her vocal range. Her repertoire now includes opera, jazz, Broadway, R&B, pop and folk. In addition, she has performed at benefits, school talent shows and had the honor of singing the national anthem at the Westwood Firefighter’s Memorial Day Service last year. She was also selected to the Bergen County Middle School Chorus in eighth grade. In high school, Gabrielle was part of the concert choir and now the Chamber Choir. She will be competing in the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition early next year. Gabrielle is so grateful to have these opportunities and looks forward to further developing her music career.

Talia Dian, a senior at Pascack Valley High School, is a proud member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society for her 3rd year in a row. Growing up with musical grandparents, she found her love for music at a very young age. Accordingly, her natural love for theatre was quick to fall into place. Over the years she has involved herself in many performing arts groups, such as Bergen PAC, Broadway Theatre Workshops, and PV Theatre. Recently, she has been an honorable member of the Bergen County Choir in the 10th and 11th grades and the Regional Choir in the 11th grade. Music has become such a big part of Talia, she really doesn’t know where she would be without it.

Kay DiSalvo is a senior who has been playing the flute for 8 years. She’s participated in the Pascack Valley Marching band and wind ensemble all four years of high school. This is her second year in the Tri-M Honor Society and first year serving on the Tri-M Board. She enjoys playing flute immensely and also plays piano. In her free time, she volunteers to play the piano at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. Throughout her music career, she’s played at concerts, senior citizens homes, and just for her family and friends. Kay is excited to showcase her passion and love for music!

Kelly Donlan is a sophomore at Pascack Valley High School where she takes part in the choral and theatre departments. She has enjoyed participating in an array of musical ensembles since age seven. Starting at her church in its musical productions and choir, she was immersed in the musical community. At age eight, she began taking lessons and competing in various vocal competitions. In 2019, she was awarded the All-Star Vocalist Title at the Access Broadway competition in Hanover, NJ. Kelly continues to take vocal lessons and learn from her peers in high school. Music has always made Kelly feel at home and understood, and she is thrilled to become part of the Tri-M Honors Society.

Luca Focella is a junior, who has been taking piano lessons from an early age, and now studies at the Prep Program at Cali School of Music of Montclair State University. He has also enjoyed singing over the years. Besides formal voice lessons, Luca has been singing with his middle school choir and with the choir of the parish ‘Our Lady of the Holy Angels.’ Since the start of high school, he has been singing with PV choirs, Concert Choir at first and Chamber Choir for the past two years. Luca has also performed in musical theater productions both locally and in NYC. Furthermore, Luca won several piano competitions, and has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

Nupur Karnik has been playing the clarinet and piano since she was nine years old, and has been part of her school’s band program since elementary school. She is part of the marching band, concert band, and pit orchestra at Pascack Valley. Her time in the music program at Pascack Valley has allowed her to make new friends, hone her musical skills, and become more confident in her musical abilities. Her experiences with bands throughout her life have been meaningful, and Nupur thoroughly enjoys being part of the music program. In the coming future, she hopes to cultivate her musical talents further in her time at Pascack Valley and wants to become more involved in the musical community.

Audrey Koh is a student at Pascack Valley High School, and has been for the past two years (not including this one). She has been involved in the choir since freshman year, when she did concert choir. In sophomore year, she did chamber choir for the first time, and she is doing chamber choir again this year as a junior. She did the Northern New Jersey Regional Junior High School orchestra in eighth grade with the cello and the Northern New Jersey Regional High School orchestra as a sophomore. Audrey have also been a part of the pit orchestra of PV's theatre club for two years, and she hope things will clear up enough so that we can do it this year without getting the show cancelled the day of opening night.

Callie Muska is a Junior and is in Chamber Choir as a soprano 1. She was in Lunch Choir as a freshman and Chamber Choir as a sophomore. She was also in Regional Choir as a freshman. She has been singing ever since she was a little girl and has been able to carry a tune. This is very much the doing of her two older sisters who were always singing and playing music around her. Her favorite genre of music is soft pop and her favorite artist is Mika. As well as singing, she plays the piano and ukulele. She is currently learning “He’s a Pirate” from Pirates of the Caribbean on the piano. Aside from music, she enjoys reading, watching tv, and hanging out with her cats.

Aishwarya Pathri is excited to be this year's manager of Tri-M! She is currently a senior who plays the flute, piccolo, and saxophone. She participates in the PV marching band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and pit orchestra. She began playing the flute in eighth grade, picked up the saxophone in tenth grade, and learned the piccolo her senior year.

Anna Schneider has loved music for as long as she can remember. Once she started the trumpet at age 9, she knew she was hooked (and still is almost 9 years later). She frequently plays for choirs and at other events. Other than her trumpet experience, Anna began singing seriously at age 10 at a local performing arts studio and has since been a part of various musicals and choirs both in the community and at school. Now a senior, Anna looks back fondly on her time in the PV Music Department, from concerts to Talent Nights to band bus rides; these and Tri-M will always be a part of her, even after she graduates. She is currently a part of PV’s marching band, jazz band, and chamber choir.

Kareena Shah is currently a sophomore at PV and is honored to be part of her first year in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She is a passionate young lady who, along with her many interests, has a deep connection with dance and music which she naturally gravitated towards during her childhood. At a young age, she was exposed to many different genres of music, including Indian classical music, which further piqued her love for this art. In terms of musical experience, she has played a variety of instruments over the years, including the piano, violin, and flute, and is an active member of PV Choir. Kareena is looking forward to showcasing her musical talents as well as improving her musicianship!

Delia Stiles is very excited to be a part of the Tri M Music Honors Society. Delia, a senior, was also a part of the society as a sophomore and junior. She has taken piano lessons since first grade and has performed in many recitals and talent shows. Other than music, Delia enjoys being on the competitive dance team at Just Off Broadway and performing in theatre productions. Her most recent theatre credits include Once Upon a Mattress (Lady Beatrice and Ballet Princess), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mustardseed), and The Producers with BergenPACPAS (Ensemble and Tap Ensemble). Delia also participates in Bergen County Choir and North Jersey Regional Choir.

Matthew Yakir has been playing piano since he was eight years old and has been playing clarinet since he was 10. Ever since he was a little kid he would look at his older brother playing the piano and everytime he would get an insatiable want to play, so when it came time for him to go to lessons, it was no surprise that he picked it up immediately and hasn't looked back since. He started the clarinet when he was in 4th grade because even at that age he knew that he would want to do band and since that age he has been playing both instruments.

Jacob Zeller plays the trumpet in the marching band and plays the oboe, too. This year will be his second year as a marching band member. His favorite kind of music for the oboe is from the Baroque time period. He has played many instruments during middle school but now is just focusing on two. His favorite subject in school is all kinds of science. His favorite subject so far has been chemistry. When he's not in school, you could find him playing videogames with my friends at home. On his off days, he likes to go to a nearby soccer field and play with his friends there. He has made many new friends from band as well. He hopes to have a fun and interesting year as a part of the Pv band and Tri-M honors program.