Forest High School Band Program
SINCE 1922
Nick Carbuto is the son of Marine Corps Sgt. Al Carbuto, who served in the Pacific during World War II and was a professional musician and composer whose wartime song "Get Your Gear On" was adopted as the official marching song of the First Marine Division. Nick grew up playing the drums, having his first professional performance at the age of 14.
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Mr. Carbuto graduated from Glen Cove High School in New York and attended Long Island University where he studied Music Education. He came into Forest HS in 1986, with the tough job of uniting the band program behind a new leader after Mr. Allen's departure while also being required to raise the enrollment numbers in the band program. Mr. Carbuto faced many of the same issues that his predecessor faced, specifically declining enrollment due to the introduction of the elective wheel at the middle schools. In addition, several students left after Mr. Allen's departure, further complicating the task of increasing enrollment in the band. During his tenure, the LadyCat Dancers, under the guidance of Mrs. Jan Jo Merrians, performed as part of the band program.
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After two years at Forest, Mr Carbuto became the director at Lake Weir Middle School in 1988 until December 1991. He returned to New York in January of 1992 to take over the program at Freeport High School. He remained there until 1999 when he returned to his Alma Mater, Glen Cove High School. He remained until his retirement in 2015.
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