Warwick Valley High School music program selected as semi-finalist for GRAMMY Signature Schools Award

Warwick — The music program at Warwick Valley High School is one of only 125 high schools nationwide selected as a 2012 GRAMMY Signature School semifinalist. The GRAMMY Signature Schools program recognizes top U.S. public high schools that are making an outstanding contribution to music education during an academic school year. The awards program is made possible in part through the support of Best Buy, Campbell’s Labels for Education program, the Ford Motor Company Fund and Gibson Foundation. “The process started in October when I completed an application for a grant,” explains Warwick Valley High School Orchestra Director Keely Blaikner. “By December 3rd, I had to record and submit CDs of the Chamber Strings, Wind Ensemble and Meistersingers performing some of their current repertoire and list all performing groups’ concert repertoire titles.” From now until mid-March, when finalists are selected, an independent blue-ribbon committee of top music educators and professionals will meet to determine the schools that merit GRAMMY Signature School status. The finalists will receive a custom award and a monetary grant from $1,000 to $10,000 to benefit their high school music program. “The GRAMMY Signature Schools program sustains excellence in music education by granting awards to public high school music programs in communities across the country,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation in the press release announcing the semi-finalists. “Each of these semifinalist schools should be commended for their commitment to keeping the arts in their curriculum for the long-term benefits of their students.” More information and a list of all the finalists can be found at www.grammy.org - under News, Events & More. Essential information The high school’s annual Pops Concert is on Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. If you can’t wait that long to sample the work of Warwick high school musicians, the communications students at the high school videotape and post concerts on their own web site: http://www.mywvhstv.org/band.html. The 2012 GRAMMY Signature Schools Semifinalists include: Academy of Music at Hamilton High School — Los Angeles Air Academy — USAF Academy, Colo. Arizona School for the Arts — Phoenix Bay Shore High School — Bay Shore Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School — Bethesda, Md. Boston Arts Academy — Boston Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School — Burnt Hills Commack High School — Commack Comsewogue High School — Port Jefferson Station Detroit School of Arts — Detroit East Anchorage High School — Anchorage, Alaska East Meadow High School — East Meadow Edward R. Murrow High School — Brooklyn Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center — Columbus, Ohio Garden City High School — Garden City George W. Hewlett High School — Hewlett Groton High School — Groton Guilderland High School — Guilderland Center Harker Heights High School — Harker Heights, Texas John L. Miller-Great Neck North High School — Great Neck John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School — Augusta, Ga. Johnson City High School — Johnson City Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School — Philadelphia Lancaster High School — Lancaster Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing & Visual Arts — Las Vegas Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School — Novato, Calif. Monroe-Woodbury High School — Central Valley Nanuet Senior High School — Nanuet W.T. Clarke High School — Westbury Walt Whitman High School — Huntington Station Warwick Valley High School — Warwick William A. Shine-Great Neck South High School — Great Neck signifies a school in New York State