Hallway Music

Kendrick Lamar. Aerosmith. SZA. Billy Joel. These are only a small handful of the musical artists that have been broadcasted over the loudspeaker in between each period. We’ve all heard and grown accustomed to the melodies that have ushered us from one period and into the other. They have been a way to commemorate holidays and cultural events such as Black History Month. But this has only a recent occurrence, so why now?

Previously, the former principal, Nicole Allen, had played music on Fridays. But, the idea to implement this every day came from when the current principal, John Kenny, had discovered that New Hyde Park Memorial High School had a special broadcasting system over which music is played every day. Although our setup is far more rudimentary, Ms. Isabella, the woman who controls the music, says that, “I try and make sure that there is variety in what plays. So one day could be 80’s and another day could be rock.” On the effect of the music Mr. Kenny, who curated all the music for Black History Month, says, “I think that it’s nice to hear music and what also is nice is during different cultural months like Black History Month we played all black artists, and at the beginning of March we played all women’s music, so I think that sometimes it’s nice culturally.”

The process of requesting music to play is not difficult. Simply go down to the assistant principal's office, find Ms. Isabella at the front desk, and request whichever song you want to be played. There is a rule though; no cursing. All music must be clean. So the next time you are singing quietly the chorus to a song that is playing, why not think about going and requesting a song.