Senior Spotlight: Bella D'Agostino & Winston Hewitt - PYO Music Institute

Name

Bella D’Agostino, Winston Hewitt

Instrument

Bella: Flute & Piccolo
Winston: Cello

Current Teacher

Bella: Barry Portnoy
Winston: Rachael Freivgel

High School

Bella: Mainland Regional High School
Winston: Haddon Township High School

College / Major

Bella: Rutgers University New Brunswick / Italian
Winston: Rensselaer Polytechnic University / Math, Physics

If you’re not majoring in music, what role might music play during your college years?

Bella: I hope to participate in an ensemble or two throughout college to continue performing for as long as I can
Winston: I’m definitely going to minor in music and will be part of the orchestra there. Hopefully music can be a stabilizing force in college when things get chaotic

How long have you been a member of the PYO Music Institute and in which ensembles did you participate?

Bella: 4 years (YMDO – 2 years / PYAO – 2 years)
Winston: I’ve been in PYO for 3 years

Do you have any plans or activities planned for the summer?

Bella: Chorus Line musical, working, spending as much time outside as possible
Winston: I’m going to take a gap year and move to the United Kingdom for a couple of months.

What is one of your favorite PYOMI memories?

Bella: Being section leader in my second year in YMDO, meeting new people that I will hopefully keep in touch with
Winston: My favorite PYO memories were walking around the Kimmel Center before concerts with my friends Daniel and Kwanchi ( sometimes )

What are some of your favorite pieces of music that you have performed with PYO?

Bella: Overture to I Vespri Siciliani, Egmont Overture, Danzon
Winston: Tchaikovsky 4, Dvorak 4, The Planets

When you are not in rehearsal or practicing your instrument, what other activities or hobbies do you enjoy?

Bella: Softball, going to the beach, watching the sunrise/sunset, driving with the windows down and music turned up
Winston: playing basketball, playing videogames, playing tennis, hanging out with friends

What is one unique attribute about you that people find surprising?

Winston: I am actually a hard worker and even though I complain a lot I still get my work done

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What do you see yourself doing?

Bella: Hopefully living in Italy owning a coffee/flower/vinyl shop and immersing myself in Italian life and culture