Santa Monica, CA (Top40 Charts/ Recording Academy) The GRAMMY Foundation (www.grammyintheschools.com) announced today that 32 talented high school students from across the United States have been selected for positions in the 2013 GRAMMY Camp - Jazz Session (formerly known as GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles). Their selection launches them into the spotlight surrounding the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards, and provides them with unparalleled opportunities to perform in front of some of music's biggest names. The students, representing 31 cities and 15 states, will travel to Los Angeles for a weeklong musical adventure under the direction of Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music, Dr. Ron McCurdy of the University of Southern California Thornton School of
Music and Dr. Leila Heil of the University of Colorado, Boulder. This year, two members will comprise the GRAMMY in the Schools Media Team, and they will document the GRAMMY Week experience for a range of the GRAMMY Foundation's social media platforms. Many past members of the GRAMMY Camp - Jazz Session program go on to enjoy thriving performance careers, including singer/pianist
Peter Cincotti (2001), two-time GRAMMY-nominated jazz pianist Gerald Clayton (2002), New York Philharmonic bassist
David Grossman (1995), GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter
Brandon Heath (1994), saxophonist
Grace Kelly (2008), and pianist
Aaron Parks (2000).
"Since 1993, GRAMMY Camp - Jazz Session has provided students with an extraordinary musical experience that brings to life the mission of the GRAMMY Foundation: to foster the next generation of music and its makers," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy. "While they're here, these young artists will experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when they play with their peers as well as with GRAMMY-nominated and GRAMMY-winning artists at a range of programs during GRAMMY Week."
The selected students will perform at various GRAMMY Week events including — for the fourth year— an appearance at GRAMMY In The Schools Live! - A Celebration Of
Music & Education, sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund and the Starkey Hearing Foundation. This special evening, which is open to the public, will showcase the selectees, along with student alumni from GRAMMY Camp and GRAMMY Signature Schools, with special guest artists on Feb. 6, 2013, at USC. The group will offer another public performance at Spaghettini Fine Dining & Entertainment with a special guest artist on Feb. 7. GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session members will also will attend the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10 as guests of The Recording Academy and will perform at the GRAMMY Celebration® after-party.
On Feb. 8-9, the young musicians will again record at the legendary Capitol Studios & Mastering in Hollywood, Calif., courtesy of the EMI
Music Group. GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles albums from 2007-2012 are available for purchase at online music outlets such asAmazon, iTunes, Napster, and Rhapsody.
The GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session selectees are eligible for more than $2 million in college scholarships made possible through the GRAMMY Foundation's college partners: Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and USC Thornton School of Music. In addition, each selectee's school will receive a professional cymbal courtesy of the Zildjian Company.
The 2013 GRAMMY Camp - Jazz Session members are listed by each student's instrument, role, or voice:
| Choir |
| Name |
City |
State |
School | Part |
| Kate Gratson | Brooklyn | N.Y. | Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art | Soprano |
| Elena Pinderhughes | Berkeley | Calif. | Berkeley High School | Soprano |
| Chloe Brisson | Hanover | N.H. | Hanover High School | Alto |
| Ashley Pezzotti | Plantation | Fla. | Miami Arts Charter School | Alto |
| Nathan Heldman | Los Angeles | Calif. | Academy of Music at Hamilton High School | Tenor |
| Elliott Skinner | Plano | Texas | Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts | Tenor |
| Chris Burrus | Nashville | Tenn. | Montgomery Bell Academy | Bass |
| Mark Mekailian | Arcadia | Calif. | Los Angeles County High School for the Arts | Bass |
| |
| Combo |
| James Francies | Houston | Texas | Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts | Piano |
| Andrew Sommer | Marietta | Ga. | Indiana University High School | Bass |
| Simone Boszormenyi | San Jose | Calif. | Bentley School | Guitar |
| Adrian Cota | West Covina | Calif. | Los Angeles County High School for the Arts | Drums |
| |
| Band |
| Sam Hart | New City | N.Y. | Clarkstown High School South | Alto Sax 1 |
| Lenard Simpson | Milwaukee | Wis. | Wauwatosa East High School | Alto Sax 2 |
| Matthew Babineaux | Mesquite | Texas | Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts | Tenor Sax |
| Julian Lee | Montclair | N.J. | Montclair High School | Tenor Sax |
| Henry Solomon | Woodside | Calif. | Interlochen Arts Academy | Bari Sax |
| Michael Raehpour | Witchita | Kan. | Andover High School | Trumpet Lead |
| Nathan Sparks | Prairie City | Iowa | Southeast Polk Senior High School | Trumpet 2 |
| Fernando Ferrarone | Miami | Fla. | Felix Varela Senior High School | Trumpet 3 |
| Aidan Lombard | Kenilworth | Ill. | New Trier Township High School | Trumpet Jazz |
| Max Boiko | Sunrise | Fla. | Dillard High School | Trumpet 5 |
| Johnathan Black | Tucson | Ariz. | Tucson High Magnet School | Trombone 1 |
| Coleman Hughes | Montclair | N.J. | Newark Academy | Trombone 2 |
| Blake Manternach | Coralville | Iowa | West High School | Trombone 3 |
| Peter Wikle | Santa Ana | Calif. | Orange County School of the Arts | Bass Trombone |
| Matthew Malanowski | Farmingdale | N.Y. | Farmingdale High School | Piano |
| Bob Bruya | Ellensburg | Wash. | Ellensburg High School | Bass |
| Francis Salerno | De Pere | Wis. | De Pere High School | Guitar |
| Fredric Griggs | Carlisle | Pa. | Carlisle High School | Drums |
| Media Team |
| Cameron Capers | Stone Mountain | Ga. | DeKalb School of the Arts |
| Allison Spice | Trabuco Canyon | Calif. | Mission Viejo High School |
