2008, November

NAMM and Disney Announce Sequel Grant Program
The NAMM Foundation and Disney Channel have announced that they will again team up to allow middle and high schools across the United States the opportunity to apply for a grant to put on their own school stage production of Disney’s High School Musical or High School Musical 2. The public affairs initiative utilizes the popularity of the High School Musical movies and the licensed amateur theater adaptations to encourage more kids to get involved in music and the arts.

The grant program will award worthy schools a $5,000 monetary grant and license for High School Musical 1 or 2. The funds are to support music and arts-related educational costs of the production, such as hiring music and dance coaches, and to help schools that do not have sufficient lighting and sound equipment for the production.

Schools interested in applying for a grant should visit www.nammfoundation.org to view grant guidelines and submit an application online. All proposals must be received by December 15, 2008 (11:59 p.m., EST). Grant recipients will be notified in May 2009.

As part of the initiative, Disney Channel and Radio Disney will present Public Service Announcements to encourage viewers to learn, engage, explore and participate in music, dance and theater. Messages will also include information on how schools can apply for the grant. Select 2008 grant recipients will also be featured in a Disney 365 presentation that showcases the impact of “The Music in You” program.

Last year’s grant award winners were:

• Booker T. Washington High School, Houston, Texas
• BYNG Schools, Ada, Okla.
• Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
• Cranston High Schools East and West, Cranston, R.I.
• Dwight Morrow High School, Englewood, N.J.
• Eau Clair High School, Columbia, S.C.
• L.A. Webber High School, Lyndonville, N.Y.
• Marana Middle School, Marana, Ariz.
• Patrick Henry Middle School, Granada Hills, Calif.
• Ridgeview Charter School, Atlanta, Ga.

For more information or to apply for the grant, visit www.nammfoundation.org.

Yamaha’s Celebrate Your Music Contest
Yamaha Corporation of America has launched an exclusive sweepstakes and Web site seeking the best performance of Disney’s “It’s a Small World” theme song utilizing Yamaha products. Between now and December 31, 2008, contestants can enter on-line to win the grand prize of a two-night stay at a California’s Disneyland Resort and a $750 credit towards any Yamaha instrument or product. A second prize winner will also receive a monetary credit towards any Yamaha music product. Both winning entries will be showcased on the Yamaha multimedia Web site, The Hub www.yamahahub.com. To enter, users can upload their video or audio performance to the contest website, www.yamaha.com/celebrate. On the Web site contest entrants will have access to an array of downloadable materials including sheet music, exclusive arrangements, DJ background tracks, and other supplies to enhance their performance. The grand prize winner will be chosen by a panel of Yamaha and Disney officials; the second prize winner will be chosen by popular votes on The Hub Web site. Both winners of the Celebrate Your Music contest will be announced at the 2009 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.

For more information, visit www.yamahahub.com.

ACDA National Convention Scholarship
In an effort to encourage the development of future choral leaders in the Northeast, the Eastern Division board of the American Choral Directors Association has announced the 2009 $500 Kegerreis Collegiate Scholarship for attendance to the National ACDA Convention, to be held March 4-7, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The stated goal of these annual scholarships is to support ACDA convention participation by college students. This year, a maximum of eight (8) scholarships will be awarded for the National Convention in Oklahoma City, Okla, each in the amount of $500.

All college students are encouragedto apply for the Kegerreis Collegiate Scholarships. A copy of the application form will appear in the December issue of the Troubadour as well as currently on the Web site at www.acdaeast.org. Applications must be completed and postmarked no later than January 1, 2009.

Recipients of the Kegerreis Collegiate Scholarships will be notified by mail and by e-mail. All recipients will need to register for the convention according to normal procedures. They will then receive their scholarship checks at the registration desk of the National Convention in Oklahoma City, March 4-7, 2009.

For more information, visit www.acdaeast.org.