Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

N-W Music Parents Club Scholarship Winners, pictured from left are Kelly Gravel, Krista Dean, Miranda Dube, Rebecca Milleville and Tyler Duncan.
N-W Music Parents Club Scholarship Winners, pictured from left are Kelly Gravel, Krista Dean, Miranda Dube, Rebecca Milleville and Tyler Duncan.

N-W Music Department makes history

by Marwa
Thu, Jul 7th 2011 12:50 pm

History has been made in the Music Department at Niagara-Wheatfield High School.

In May, every NWHS music ensemble that participated in the New York State School Music Association's Major Organization Festival earned the highest rating of "Gold with Distinction." The NYSSMA Choral Festival, organized by David Curtis, was held at Niagara-Wheatfield on May 18-19. The NYSSMA Band Festival, organized by Christine Riederer, was held at N-W on May 24-25. More than 40 choirs and bands from the Western New York area participated. Ensembles were evaluated by state adjudicators and awarded ratings of Bronze, Silver and Gold. Gold with Distinction is only awarded to ensembles that have demonstrated an exceptional level of technical and artistic skill in each of the 26 evaluative categories for all three musical selections.

•NWHS Symphonic Band - Christine Riederer, director, Level VI Gold with Distinction

•NWHS Concert Choir - David Curtis, director, Level VI Gold with Distinction

•NWHS Vocal Jazz Ensemble - David Curtis, director, Level VI Gold with Distinction

•NWHS Concert Band - Christine Riederer, director, Level IV Gold with Distinction

•NWHS Chorale - David Curtis, director, Level III Gold with Distinction

 In other news, the Niagara-Wheatfield Music Parents Club awarded five scholarships to deserving seniors at the annual Music Department awards banquet held June 7 at Suzanne's Fine Dining.

Four $250 non-music major scholarships were awarded to Kelly Gravel, Krista Dean, Tyler Duncan and Rebecca Milleville.

The winners were chosen by the scholarship committee based on the essay each wrote on "What Music Means to Me".

The $2,000 music major scholarship was awarded to Miranda Dube who will major in music education at SUNY Fredonia.

Additional band awards given by Riederer were Most Improved - Greg Hoerner and Rebecca Milleville; Band Service Award - Michael Swanson; Outstanding Male and Female Band Member - Tim Stump and Emily Knab; Semper Fidelis Award - Caleb Kitcho and Kelly Gravel; and the John Philip Sousa Award - Miranda Dube.

Hometown News

View All News