The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Community Music School announces music award winners
High schoolers earn 50 percent tuition for private lessons
CENTERBROOK — The selection committee for the Carolyn R. Greenleaf Memorial Fund of Community Music School has chosen vocalist Victoria DiMartino and pianist Campbell Toth as the recipients of its fall Greenleaf Music Award.
This award is given each semester to two high school students who have demonstrated exceptional musical ability and motivation, and awards 50 percent tuition for a semester of private lessons at Community Music School, according to a news release.
Victoria DiMartino is a junior at Nathan HaleRay High School who enjoys singing and reading, according to the release. As a member of the drama club, she enjoys participating in the productions they show. She is also part of Trillium, her school’s select choir, and is very invested in the music department at Nathan HaleRay.
Campbell Toth is a sophomore at Valley Regional High School and has been an avid musician since 4. She began with piano and quickly discovered that she enjoyed playing classical, jazz, and contemporary music, the release said.
Campbell also enjoys playing the trumpet. She has played both instruments in performances with Community Music School and her middle and high school. Campbell is a member of her high school jazz band, pep band, concert band, and the orchestra for Valley’s musicals, as well as founding bands of her own.
In her freshman year, Campbell auditioned and performed with the Connecticut Music Educators Association jazz band. She has also performed in the West Hartford Youth Music Showcase, the Litchfield Jazz Festival, and also as a part of the Sunday night Cedar Lake music performances.
She has chosen to study voice with CMS Faculty Member Joni Gage and Campbell has chosen to study piano with CMS Music Director Tom Briggs, according to the release.
The fund was established at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County in 2008 by her friends to honor Greenleaf ’s dedication to music and education. It is open to students of Middlesex County and the Lymes and is awarded twice a year, based entirely on merit, the release said.
Community Music School is an independent, nonprofit school which provides a full range of the finest possible instruction and musical opportunities to persons of all ages and abilities, increasing appreciation of music and encouraging a sense of joy in learning and performing, thus enriching the life of the community.
It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Middlesex County.
Working with charitably minded individuals and organizations to build permanent endowments since 1997, it has provided 850 grants totaling more than $2.5 million to organizations for the arts, cultural and heritage programs, educational activities, environmental improvements, and for health and human services, according to its website.