Valley Students to Play in Grammy Band

An Agoura High School tenor saxophonist and a William S. Hart High School trumpeter will perform in the Grammy All-American High School Jazz Band, featured players in the Grammy week festivities in New York beginning Feb. 19.

Sam Sadigursky of Agoura and Daniel Amelang of Santa Clarita also will be joined in New York by Benjamin Randall, a vocalist from Hamilton Academy in Los Angeles, who will perform with the Grammy All-American High School Choir.

The students, who are among the 36 chosen from Grammy in the Schools All-Star Bands and Choirs nationwide, are considered among the best high school musicians in the United States.

The Southern California Grammy All-Star Band and Choir--based in the USC School of Music--is one of 26 regional programs sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Grammys.

NARAS President/CEO Michael Greene said the schools program was established seven years ago to encourage young musicians to cultivate their talents.

“We try to engage kids in America, many of whom have had their music and arts programs ripped from their schools,” Greene said. “We want them to continue their work, continue practicing to reach their goals.”

This will be the second trip for Sadigursky, who traveled to New York as part of the All-American band last year--a rare accomplishment, according to academy representatives.

During the week before the telecast, the group will perform at the annual nominee reception party, as well as at Birdland and the Manhattan School of Music. They also will have the opportunity to record a CD at Ed Germano’s Hit Factory in New York. The students will cap their week on Feb. 26 by attending the awards show itself.