A Trio of Talent: The Mener Siblings

There’s a house in Massapequa that is especially brimming with talent, boasting 3 siblings who have all graduated from LIHSA. Let’s take a look at this trio of talent: Alyssa (Class of 2018), Brandy (Class of 2022), and Ryan (Class of 2025).

As the oldest of the Mener siblings, Alyssa was the first to attend LIHSA, with her first interaction through the Summer Arts Academy, studying music and dance. “I loved the faculty and school so much, we talked to my guidance counselor to attend during the school year.” Thus began the Mener Family’s deep and lasting relationship with LIHSA.

Both sisters – Alyssa and Brandy – studied music and were vocalists at LIHSA. Their brother, Ryan, studied Video Game Design. They all had extraordinary experiences at LIHSA and are grateful to their teachers and the curriculum for setting them on their current paths.

Alyssa

Alyssa studied vocals at LIHSA and was able to explore all genres of music. She loved studying classical, jazz, pop, and other genres, enjoying immersing herself so she didn’t sound like a pop singer trying to sing classical, or a jazz singer trying to sing broadway tunes. She was able to encompass stylistic qualities in every genre she touched.

“My favorite memory was when Billy Joel came to school.” Alyssa recalls, “We were told that they were filming a documentary at LIHSA but instead, Billy Joel just came in. I was asked to sing so I sang Valerie in the style of Amy Winehouse. I was nervous but Billy Joel tapped his foot along and liked it. He posed for a photo later and Newsday interviewed me. I called my mom and said I met and sang for Billy Joel and wondered how I will ever top this?”

While at LIHSA, Alyssa had other honors, winning the Platinum award from Town of Oyster Bay for Classical Vocalist, the Nassau BOCES George Farber Outstanding student award, and was LIHSA’s inaugural scholarship recipient from Ramona’s Gift to Music.

After graduating, Alyssa earned her Bachelors in Music Education from Molloy College. At the time, she focused more on pop music and less on classical music. But since her undergraduate degree, she found success in performing in classical settings. She began performing opera in summer festivals. In summer 2026, Alyssa made her International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival debut, playing Constance in The Sorcerer with the Savoynet Performing Group at the Opera House in Buxton, England. She was thrilled to be recognized for the role being recognized by the Festival as Best Voice in a Female Role!

Currently, Alyssa has returned to school and is studying for her Masters Degree in Opera at the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College. She felt her work at LIHSA prepared her for pursuing opera sharing, “It’s where I sang my first aria!” She is very busy with performance roles in Queens.

November 20th and 22nd, 2026 she will play Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus which will be performed in English. In the spring, she will perform in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), singing the role of First Lady and will be the understudy for the role of Queen of the Night.

While going to school, Alyssa is also working as a private voice/piano/acting instructor. “I’m proud of the students I’m teaching – they are getting good roles at their schools!” She also teaches at a non-profit, helping pre-schoolers make instruments using recycled materials.

Alyssa also has seen some success on social media doing comedy reels. You can follow her on Instagram @ayyitsalyssaa and on TikTok @ayyitsalyssa.

Brandy

Brandy studied vocals at LIHSA. She was inspired daily at LIHSA and thought every day was special being surrounded by other musical peers and teachers who truly believed in her and encouraged her. She felt it was a far more supportive and creative environment than her home school. She was always inspired by her sister, too, sharing she never felt like she was in her shadow, “I was always proud to be Alyssa’s sister.”

One LIHSA experience that stood out for Brandy was a field trip to Nassau Community College during a performance class. “It was my first time visiting a college,” Brandy recalled, “And I was the only vocalist who performed while being recorded. It was a great memory.”

After LIHSA, Brandy went on to study Music Therapy for three years at Molloy. She also studied Psychology and decided to change course, earning first her Associates Degree at Nassau Community College and continuing to study at SUNY Old Westbury.

While she currently finishes her degree at Westbury, Brandy is also working. She is in her fourth year as a Teachers Assistant in a Pre-K classroom at Silas Woods Pre-K in Huntington. Her musical roots are evident in what she does and she incorporates music in the classroom often throughout the days. She’s especially proud when the music helps students, “There’s one student who has a higher level of needs,” Brandy shares, “and music helps guide our routine and helps him.”

Brandy – along with Alyssa – have returned to LIHSA for Alumni Days in the past. “It’s like no time has passed,” Brandy shared. “LIHSA is still so welcoming and friendly.”

When not working or at school, Brandy enjoys attending open mic nights to play guitar and sing. Some of her go-to songs include Valerie (often with Alyssa), Killing me Softly, and Don’t Mean a Thing.

Ryan

The most recent LIHSA graduate of the Mener family is Ryan and he studied Game Design. His studies helped Ryan to think like a programmer, learning skills he can adapt and use in life. Ryan shares, “When working on a programming project, you never stop thinking about it. I learned at LIHSA that sometimes you need to leave and come back to it so you can see a different approach. There was one problem I couldn’t figure out. I went to sleep that night and dreamed the answer. I tried it in class and it worked!”

One of Ryan’s favorite projects was his final project which he had to present in class. He adapted an Old Atari game so you could have multiple players on different consoles. It was a challenge, but he was proud that his teacher, Mr. Minerva told him that he used the cleanest code he’d ever seen.

LIHSA had a supportive environment for Ryan and he really loved it and the tight-knit community he found at school. He liked working with his peers and providing each other insight into programming. He took to heart many lessons in the program, but especially how important documentation is in programming.

After graduating from LIHSA in 2025, Ryan started studying Computer Science at SUNY Old Westbury where he is currently a sophomore. He’s currently learning Python language and is excited to learn OS development. His training at LIHSA helped prepare him well for learning other programming languages.

In addition to his studies, Ryan helps build computers for people. He is naturally inquisitive and likes figuring out how things work. He has a room full of purchased hardware. Ryan shares, “I tinker around with stuff. I like opening hardware and seeing how things work.” This is true with writing code too and has created and shared open source programming. Most recently, Ryan purchased a 3D printer and just created his first item, a little ship. He’s looking forward to seeing what else he can program and create.

Advice for current or future students

All three siblings have insightful advice for current or Future LIHSA students:

Alyssa: Let LIHSA help you to explore who you are further. Never apologize for who you are artistically. Art is what you make it and can never be replaced. LIHSA is there to support everything so take advantage of all the resources, teachers, the recording studio. Use it as your paintbrush and let your creativity run free. That’s what it’s for.

Brandy: Never feel bad for the choice you make. You can change directions, no matter how far you’ve gotten and what you’ve chosen. Find music in your heart and never lose that.

Ryan: Try new things. If there’s a better way or if it doesn’t work, go back.

Thank you to the talented trio – Alyssa, Brandy, and Ryan Mener for your talents and insights. Everyone at LIHSA will keep cheering you on!