I am originally from Endicott, New York, therefore it is important to me to remain an active member of my community and to help it thrive. For me, it is particularly crucial that I support the area’s Italian heritage and efforts made to preserve it. That is why I serve on the Board of Directors for the Tri-Cities Opera Company. I come from a large Italian-American family and as a child I learned many cultural traditions from my grandparents. At the root of them all are food and music. Every weekend was spent together: first at the kitchen table for a meal, and then in the living room with a guitar. We always sang canzoni napoletane, Italian folk music, together; my Dad strumming the chords and my Grandpa recalling the lyrics from a past that he invited us to envision along with him, just for a moment.

My first opera experience was Romeo and Juliet at the Binghamton Forum with my late grandfather. His name was Vincent Samiani. I was blessed to have 22 years with him, and during our time together he would share many of his passions with me, one of which was his musicianship. He is the main reason I chose to join the Board of Directors at TCO. That first experience at the opera, just Grandpa and I, was a magical one. I remember feeling the power of the performance and realizing that everyone in the audience that night was being given the same gift that my grandfather had always given my father, and then me. Music is transformative and healing. It can help us to express feelings that cannot be put into words. It truly is a great unifier. Now, more than ever before in my lifetime, I see a deep need for community all around me. Art reminds us that we are more alike than we are different. Being a member of the Board at TCO has given me the opportunity to educate our community about this organization’s great legacy while also helping me to honor my heritage and keep my dear grandfather’s memory alive.