SONGS OF SUCCESS
Spring High is among eight schools across nation recently lauded for music program
For students at Spring High School, winning the Grammy Signature Schools Enterprise Award is every bit as thrilling as it is for recording artists on their big night.
The Recording Academy is behind both honors, after all and each celebrates remarkable talent.
“This is a significant achievement,” said Scott Goldman, vice president of the Grammy Foundation.
Spring High School is one of eight schools in the nation to receive an award for its music program.
Goldman explained that the Grammy Signature Schools program recognizes public high schools that demonstrate excellence in their music programs. The Enterprise Award is granted to schools that maintain the same high standards while facing financial challenges.
“These are places where budgets are at risk and programs can come and go,” Goldman said.
He said that Spring High stood apart due to the variety of classes offered at the school.
“Often a school has a great orchestra, but doesn’t do much else,” he said. “At Spring, there’s a great balance and a great blend of different disciplines.”
Goldman said that the choir and wind ensemble were especially impressive.
“This school hit a number of
markers,” he said. “They had a broad variety of programs and a very deeply involved student base. They’ve got a good thing going on.”
The school’s head choral director David Landgrebe said that thousands of schools apply for the program each year.
“It’s open to every single public high school in the U.S.,” he said. “And it’s a very well-advertised program.”
Spring High School has competed for the award in the past and made it to the semi-finals the past three years.
“It’s an extensive application that you complete online,” Landgrebe said. “Then about 150 semifinalists submit recordings.”
Each group — vocal, instrumental, jazz and small ensemble — submits five minutes of music. Then a review committee listens and determines the winners.
Landgrebe said Spring High entered the contest in September and received notice that the school was selected a semifinalist in late October. In mid-December, the young vocalists and musicians sent off their recordings.
On March 4, Landgrebe received an email announcing that the school won the award but he was not allowed to share the news with the students for a couple of weeks.
“Sitting on that was not easy to do,” he said. “I had to be very careful with the words I chose.”
Landgrebe was especially surprised that the school was able to gain the award, considering Spring High does not have an orchestra program.
“Usually, the schools that place do,” he said.
Finally, after spring break, Landgrebe gathered all band, choir and theater students to tell them the good news.
“They were so excited,” he said. “They were in disbelief. It was very gratifying to see our students who have worked so hard get this recognition. I was very proud.”
He said that the students have been recognized nationally before, but this honor was a prestigious honor.
“This is the pinnacle,” he said. “We’ve accomplished a lot with our music. You just never think your kids will be rewarded like this.”
Jalen Jones, a 17-year old senior who performs with two choirs on campus, said he was shocked to hear the news.
“I knew we were good, but there are a lot of good schools out there,” he said. “I knew that the competition was tough.”
He said that all the choir students celebrated receiving the award. “In that moment, I felt as if all the hard work I did in the last four years paid off,” Jones said.
On May 10, representatives from the Grammy Foundation and the Recording Academy presented the award to the students prior to the school’s Spring High Pop Show.
“It’s a variety night,” Landgrebe said. “It’s students singing solos and doing group numbers.”
The show choir and jazz ensemble also performed.
The featured students and their instructors were proud knowing that the award they had received that night came with a $5,500 contribution to Spring High School’s music program.
The funds will help students with limited financial means to fully participate in the music program, covering costs of contest fees, student workshops and master classes for music ensembles.
Goldman said financially supporting school music programs is part of the program’s primary mission as well as exposing students to the wide variety of careers in the industry.
“Only a small percentage of musicians will make a career on stage,” he said. “There are so many other careers in the music industry and they can feed your passion. We try to give students a line of sight. There’s a path you can take into a legitimate career in music.”