Sponsored by the GRAMMY Foundation and 7-Up, 100 high school music programs across the country have been named finalists in the 2004 GRAMMY Signature School Award competition. Hilton High School is one of the 40 finalists. Here members of the High School Wind Ensemble are practicing for a performance. From left are: Karen Long, Christine Peck and Erik McOmber. The Hilton Music Program is coordinated by instrumental music teacher Nancy Russo.

Hilton High School music program GRAMMY Signature School finalist

Hilton High School Music Program has received word from the GRAMMY Foundation of Santa Monica, California, the same group that recognizes excellence in the recording industry, that Hilton's Music Program is one of 100 finalists, in a pool of 7,000 applicants, for the GRAMMY Signature Schools Award. "We are growing tremendously - cutting CDs, getting recognized, going to competitions," said Nancy Russo, Hilton Music Program Coordinator. "Being named a Grammy Signature School finalist is huge because we are a smaller suburban school district. But I know from our students' college auditions that professors are raving about the quality they see."

Finalists in the Grammy Signature School competition are eligible to receive up to $7,000 in prize money and seven of the 40 finalists are designated as "Gold" recipients. One school is selected as the National GRAMMY Signature School. Of the 40 finalists last year, seven were from New York state and the top school named was from Houston, Texas. The top 40 schools were required to submit a CD of their students' performances to the GRAMMY Foundation. On December 15, McMaster Recording Studio, owned by Matt Barclay, HHS 1981 graduate, recorded the High School Chorale, Women's Chorus and three music groups, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Band.