Community Corner
Up-And-Coming Band Keeps Roots in Port
Alternative rock band NTOR, made up of five Weber Middle School students, gears up for free concert at the Port Washington Public Library this Thursday.
There is a tween group in the Flower Hill section of Port Washington that knows where they are headed in the future and they know what it takes to get there. This group of five seventh-graders from Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School formed NTOR, an alternative electro-pop band four years ago when they were barely eight years old.
The vocalist of the group, 12-year-old Joe Panico, said he knows it takes a lot of hard work, practice and a load of discipline to make it in the music industry. He added that it takes years to get known and grow as a musical group.
"I love music and I have to work really hard at it, such as starting off small and building up," Panico said. "We play alternative rock, pop, classic rock, punk and electro-pop. We love groups such as The Beatles, Journey and Blur."
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The group has appeared at the South Salem School Talent show, Weber Middle School, Port Washington's HarborFest, Crash Mansion in lower Manhattan and several other locations.
Jenny Aguiar, 12, who plays the keyboard speaks as if she lived a full adult life. "My favorite performer is Erroll Garner, a jazz pianist and I also like the techno band Meiko," said Aguiar, who started playing the piano when she four years old. "Some of our songs are original and we all know how to write lyrics and music. One of our recent songs, 'Sleepyheads' was actually originated from a dream that I had. I want to pursue music in the future, but I do have a backup plan of going to college to become an engineer."
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Will Berger, the group's 13-year-old drummer, said his love for the drums started at eight years old by tapping his hands in his mother's car. He made a point to say that Stewart Copeland from the group The Police is his favorite drummer and that he hopes to one day make it in the music industry.
"In the future we hope to go on tour and become famous," Berger said. "We started a Facebook page and we now have a lot of fans. I hope to always pursue music and the drums."
The group's bass guitarist Wyatt Sempliner, 13, said if music doesn't work out in the future that he wants to pursue a career in the military. He said he has been playing the bass for two years, but he previously played other instruments when he was younger.
The band members' parents and siblings have been cheering them on every step of the way and some have even become a part of the band's success. The group's lead guitarist Kain Summerlin, 12, said his mother Kim is managing the group and Panico's mother Christine writes press releases, organizes the group's website and gets their bookings.
"The kids are so talented," Kim said. "They definitely have the whole package."
NTOR will be performing a free concert on Thursday, June 3, at 6 p.m at the Port Washington Public Library. For more information about the concert of the band, visit www.NTORband.com.
