Four Huntley High students awarded band camp scholarships
Four Huntley High School students were recently awarded $700 scholarships to attend summer band camps.
Sun City Concert Band President Rose Kundich presented awards to Grace Gatto, Korey Krajecki, Elijah Gallaugher, and Brendan Schoneberg at the Huntley Unit District 158 All Band Festival on March 16.
The awards are annually given to Huntley High School students who have demonstrated a growing proficiency on a major musical instrument.
The scholarships provide tuition and room and board at a weeklong music camp.
Grace Gatto is a junior who plays the piano and alto saxophone. She performs in the Huntley High School Wind Ensemble, the Marching Band, and the Huntley Saxophone Quartet. Gatto and has played for eight years and says, "Music is my life." She hopes to be a music educator and "give back to my directors and teachers by teaching the next generation of musicians. I want to touch lives with music."
Sophomore student Korey Krajecki plays the bassoon and saxophone. He is a member of the Huntley High School Wind Ensemble and the McHenry County Youth Orchestra. He performs at church and has done both chamber and solo volunteer performances throughout the community. He plans to continue his musical career in college by majoring in performing arts.
Elijah Gallaugher is a freshman percussionist at Huntley High School where he performs in the concert band, jazz band, and marching band. He is also a member of the Crystal Lake Strikers All-Stars drumline. Gallaugher has twice attended junior high band camps and is excited to attend at the senior level so that he can push his playing to the next level.
Junior student Brendan Schoneberg plays percussion in the wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, jazz band, and marching band. He also plays in the Crystal Lake Strikers All-Stars. He is interested in becoming a music educator of some sort, whether it is a private teacher or a band director.
All four students will attend Illinois Summer Youth Music Camps held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Gatto will participate in the Senior Band Camp, Krajecki in the Senior Symphony Orchestra Camp, while Gallaugher and Schoneberg will attend the Senior High Jazz Camp.
The Sun City Concert Band has presented music scholarships to 22 students since beginning the awards in 2010.
The scholarships are awarded to those who intend to "make music a part of their life after leaving high school."
Sun City Band members range to age 83 and although some have been active in music all their lives, others rediscovered the joy of playing in a large ensemble many decades after mistakenly selling their instruments.
The 50-piece concert band is directed by Pam Jorgensen. She also serves as band director at Heineman Middle School in Algonquin. The Sun City Band's next performances will be "Show Stoppers: Music from Hollywood to Broadway" at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 9, and 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in Drendel Ballroom at Sun City Huntley. Call (847) 961-5905 for tickets or email sccbtickets@gmail.com.
Sun City's 18-piece jazz dance band will present a concert and dance titled "Let's Dance" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in the Drendel Ballroom. They will perform at a dance at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17, at the Lakeside Arts Park's Listening Room in Crystal Lake. On Monday, June 10, "A Tribute to the Music of Glenn Miller" will be held at 7 p.m. in Drendel Ballroom. Call (847) 659-9696 for information.