SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Tom Whaley (Visual & Performing Arts) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
310.450.8338,
ext. 338 17
MAR 2009
SMMUSD’s 60th ANNUAL ‘STAIRWAY OF THE STARS’
On March
26th and 27th, 2009, at 7:30 pm, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School
District will present the 60th Annual Stairway of the Stars at the Civic
Auditorium in Santa Monica. This event remains one of the most popular annual
events in the city, as it spotlights the talents of the district's music
students, teachers, and music curriculum.
This
year, twenty-six bands, orchestras, and choirs will dazzle the audience at the
Stairway of the Stars concert. The guest conductor will be Dr. Tony Mazzaferro, who was born and raised in San Francisco
and is completing his eleventh year as Principal Conductor of the Claremont
Winds. Dr. Mazzaferro received his Bachelor of
Music degree from San Francisco State University and, during his undergraduate
years, served as the Principle Tubist in the Symphonic
Band and Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he was the Assistant Conductor
for both the Symphonic and Concert Bands. After graduating with honors in
1978, Dr. Mazzaferro attended Northwestern
University, where he earned a Master of Music degree in Instrumental
Conducting, studying under John P. Paynter. In
1986, he received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State
University, where he was a graduate assistant for the Music Education
Department and the Concert Band. While at Arizona State, Dr. Mazzaferro studied with Richard Strange, Daniel Perantoni, Ronald LoPresti and
Barrie Wells. Dr. Mazzaferro is currently the
Director of Bands at Fullerton College.
In addition to his academic assignments, Dr. Mazzaferro conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Community
Band, and instructs Applied Euphonium and Tuba. Prior to his appointment
at Fullerton College, Dr. Mazzaferro taught for the
Mt. Diablo and Palo Alto Unified School Districts. His guest conducting
appearances have included Honor Bands and Orchestras throughout the Western
United States, Canada, and New Zealand, including the Alberta, Canada
All-Provincial Honor Band in 2000, the California All-State Honor Band in 1994,
2001, and 2007 and the Northern California High School Honor Band in
2007. He has adjudicated music festivals in Arizona, California, Hawaii,
North Dakota, Texas, Australia, Singapore, and Canada. Dr. Mazzaferro has also worked with concert bands and
orchestras from the United States, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and
China. On his principal instrument, tuba, he has performed with numerous
bands and orchestras throughout California. This includes the Diablo
Symphony, Peninsula Symphony, Symphony of the Mountain, Berkeley Symphony,
Santa Cruz Symphony, Santa Ana Symphony, and the Crystal Cathedral “Hour of
Power” Orchestra.
The 2009
Stairway Honor Award Recipient will be the Santa Monica-Malibu Education
Foundation. The Education Foundation continues to be a vital partner,
supporting numerous programs in the SMMUSD that help all students reach their
greatest potential in music and all the arts, in addition to the other
disciplines of education. Through its For The Arts
endowment, the Ed Foundation provides annual funding for Dance instruction at
the middle and high schools in Santa Monica and Malibu, as well as support for
Drama at our three high schools. Proceeds from their outstanding annual For
The Arts benefit concert that features professional musicians performing
with SMMUSD students, fund important programs like DreamWinds
and DreamStrings, a Guitar and World Drumming class
at Olympic High School, the choral accompanists for the new elementary choral
program and recorders for all 3rd graders in the new district-wide 3rd
grade general music program.
This year,
the ensembles that will perform at Stairway of the Stars are the All-District
Elementary Honor Orchestra, Choir, and Band; High School Jazz Ensemble; as well
as the Middle and High School orchestras, choirs, and bands. Some of the
musical selections will include: “Pineapple Poll,” “He’ll Make a Way,” and “Cruisin’ For a Bluesin”.
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SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT
1651 16TH Street, Santa
Monica, CA 90404
ph: 310.450.8338; fax: 310.581.1138
www.smmusd.org