St. Anthony’s senior wins music scholarship
Matthew Luca has been named the College of the Holy Cross' Organ Scholar of the Class of 2022. Credit: St. Anthony’s High School
A Port Jefferson teen with exceptional organ-playing talent has received a prestigious scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross.
Matthew Luca, a senior at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, has been named the college’s Organ Scholar of the Class of 2022.
The scholarship — usually given every other year — was not scheduled to be awarded this year, but distinguished artist-in-residence James David Christie petitioned the dean to make an exception after hearing Luca perform during a visit to the school in Worcester, Massachusetts.
At that time, Luca performed Dieterich Buxtehude’s “Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne in C Major,” Léon Boëllmann’s “Suite Gothique — Toccata,” and Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in G Major.”
“I just find it fun to play,” said Luca, 17, noting his love for the instrument began as an eighth-grader when his family attended Easter Mass at the Church of St. Patrick in Huntington, which had a new organ.
Recipients of the four-year, full-tuition scholarship assist the college organist in all aspects of the chapel music program. They also must major in music and study organ privately for four years.
Luca’s in-school involvements include being in the show choir, the Gregorian Schola ensemble and the National Honor Society. He also is in The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division.— Michael R. Ebert
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
