Just days before the biggest performance of his life, opera singer and Sachem alum Christopher Macchio returned home for a special day of media appearances highlighting his humble beginnings.
Known as “America’s Tenor,” Macchio graduated from Sachem in 1996 and will sing two songs, including the National Anthem, at the Presidential Inauguration inside the Capital Rotunda on Monday morning. He chose to tell his story to CBS News from Samoset Middle School – then Sachem South – inside the chorus room where former longtime Sachem music teacher Robert Gerstenberg inspired him.
One day during his sophomore year, Gerstenberg asked his students to sing among each other so they could be placed properly in that year’s ensemble. At the time, Macchio refused to sing in front of other students.
“I said you can fail me, throw me out of class, but you are not going to get me to sing in front of the class,” Macchio said.
Gerstenberg pleaded for him to sing something privately after class so he could place him accordingly. Macchio relented and belted out a few lines.
“His jaw dropped,” Macchio recalled. “He went to his file cabinet, started pulling out sheet music, and went to the piano to play.”
By the end of that session, he sat Macchio down and asked him what he intended to do as a career. Macchio had planned on studying medicine or law.
“He looked me in the eye and said that’s the wrong answer,” Macchio said. “He said, ‘I have been teaching for 27 years and have never come across a voice like yours.’ You have a gift from God and an obligation to share that gift. I took that to heart. It made me a little sick. I thought I was doomed to a life as a starving artist, and it would ruin my academic plans.”
Macchio understood what he meant and wasted no time adjusting his expectations and putting himself on the path he’s been on ever since.
“What a wonderful man,” Macchio said. “He really did see that potential within me. Teachers can have such a tremendous impact.”
Between CBS News interviews, he stopped by Sachem North for interviews with CBS2 and FOX5. He sang on the stage, walked the halls, and felt at ease in the friendly confines of 212 Smith Road.
All this before he embarked on the biggest week of his career, performing several times for President Trump before, during, and after the inauguration.
Macchio sang Saturday night at Trump National in Sterling, Virginia, during a private $1 million fireworks show for the President. Aside from performing at the inauguration, he will also sing at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning.
Sachem Alumni Association President and Foundation Chris R. Vaccaro accompanied him on his return to Lake Ronkonkoma. Vaccaro, a media executive, helped coordinate the press hits and opened the doors at Sachem to make the unique recordings possible.
“This is what we do at Sachem, welcome our alumni home,” Vaccaro said. “We’re proud of Christopher and all that he has accomplished. When he sings during the inauguration on Monday, he’s not only signing for America, but he’s singing for Sachem. He is a perfect example of what our school community is capable of producing.”
Macchio is also managed by Sachem Hall of Honor inductee Louis Gregory, who graduated in 1996. They met as six-year-old students at Tamarac Elementary.
“I have such vivid and cherished memories of growing up alongside Christopher, a friendship that spans an incredible 40 years,” Gregory said. “Even as young boys, I would call him ‘Mr. President’ in grade school, a nickname that reflected his exceptional intellect, polished demeanor, and natural charisma. Christopher has always possessed a rare combination of brilliance, ambition, and the unrelenting work ethic required to achieve greatness. Watching his remarkable ascent has been nothing short of extraordinary, and standing beside him as his manager is one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
Gregory, an accomplished award-winning music producer and talent manager on his own, has been coordinating a flurry of events and appearances for Macchio in recent months. From rallies for President Trump to private events of major cultural and political circumstances, Gregory has been a second set of logistical eyes and ears for Macchio.
This includes collaborating with the President’s Own U.S. Marine Band to produce and witness the breathtaking arrangements for this monumental occasion, which Gregory said “is a moment of profound pride and fulfillment.”
“It feels as though life has come full circle, and I can say with absolute certainty that there is no one more deserving of this recognition than Christopher,” he said. “He has truly earned every bit of this honor, and I know this is only the beginning of an even greater legacy for America’s Tenor.”
