CHS Is Alive With the Sound of Music

Canton High School has approximately 270 students participating in the vocal and instrumental music program at school and through the long distance learning program. "Music involvement by more than 50 percent of our student body far surpasses anyone else in the Farmington Valley," says Department Chairman Tom Scavone, who was just honored as a Yale Distinguished Music Educator.

According to Scavone, seniors in the class of 2009 received more than $10,000 in scholarships from colleges wanting them to participate in extra-curricular music ensembles, pep band, or a minor or major in music.

Students in the Canton High School music program, instrumental and vocal, experience a vast array of opportunities to develop their musicality, creativity and performance ability at a variety of venues at home and on the road, according to Scavone.  The annual Prisms concert, held in February, is designed by seniors and run by the students. Art and literary elements are integrated into the show in coordination with the theater program and English Department. Prisms features all the instrumental music ensembles.

In 2011, the Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble groups won gold medals at the Fermi Jazz Festival on Feb. 26 and performed for the first time at the Holyoke Jazz Festival on March 5. Tom Kelley, Sam Byus, Zack Wiles, Billy Villano and David Shahverdian were selected to perform with the Holyoke festival's guest artist, pianist Arturo O'Farrill.

The winter choral concert on Feb. 28 brought the audience to its feet when junior Zachary Powell soloed with a doo-wop group of young men behind him.

Upcoming CHS performances include the musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" on March 25, 26, 27. The Symphonic Band will perform in the Tri-Town Band Festival at the Warner Theater on March 30. The annual jazz concert is scheduled for April 28 at CHS.

Additional performances in May and June are listed on the Canton High School web site or on the cantonmusic.org district music calendar.