LIHSA Intergenerational Story: Vincent Nigro and Tyler James

Some fathers and sons are meant to share experiences together. This includes Vincent Nigro and Tyler James.

Vincent grew up in Massapequa and was attending Plainedge High School when he learned about LIHSA (then called BOCES Cultural Arts Center) just before his senior year. “I couldn’t believe there was a school for art and music. It changed my life!”

As a guitar player, until starting LIHSA, Vincent mostly played rock music. But the school quickly expanded his exposure and deepened his knowledge of other genres like jazz and classical music. He studied with jazz trumpeter Dave Burns, guitar instructor Carlos Castillo, Mario Trulio and Barbara Kupferberg.

“I’m still friends with people I met at LIHSA. I was in a band for years with a few of those guys,” says Vincent. In fact, after graduating in 1988, he attended Berklee College of Music to study Film Scoring, and his roommate was one of his LIHSA classmates. He left to head back to New York and play in bands. He made his way as a musician throughout the 90’s. His long-term band, Belly Button, played covers and originals on Long Island, in Manhattan, Queens and Connecticut.

After having a family, Vincent became a full-time fiber optic/broadband designer and continues to complete projects in music, film scoring, and sound design. He has been the sound designer on several films including “How to Fix a Drug Scandal” and in the series “Axios News” on HBO. He’s also composed music scores for indie films and won awards for best film score at the Long Island International Film Expo for his work on the films “Night for Day,” “The Night Never Sleeps” and “Send No Flowers,” all available on Amazon Prime.

Vincent has also worked as a studio musician for many years, including guitar session work for dance producers, playing on tracks by Madonna, Duran Duran, and Kelly Clarkson, and Nelly/Justin Timberlake (to name a few).

Vincent’s son Tyler is also growing up in Massapequa; he attends Massapequa High School. After LIHSA’s Studio Recording and Production summer program, Tyler started as a student in his junior year, studying Audio Production. Tyler also studies piano, music theory and song writing at Center Stage. He plays piano and keyboard and creates and produces his own music.

Tyler is especially open to experiences and jumped right in when his dad asked him to do an electronic song for an indie film Night for Day (available on Amazon Prime). He also stepped into an acting role for the film. “I never acted before, and it was hard, but I liked learning.”

This fall, Tyler enjoyed attending the Audio Engineering Society Convention with LIHSA at the Javits Center to check out the latest in audio technology. He also started exploring college production programs and began a community media review project.

Sharing great music is a regular activity at home. Tyler introduces new music like experimental hip hop to his dad, and they listen to classics together like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.

Vincent has sage advice for Tyler and other LIHSA students, “Put in the work, and learn to recognize an opportunity when it presents itself. You’re at the age to work hard, be laser focused, and go for it.” Vincent has taken his own advice and worked hard and continues to go for fantastic opportunities. And we can see through Tylers ambition and dedication that he is already doing the same.

Thank you, Vincent and Tyler, for sharing your story and your talents with us! We can’t wait to see more of your work.