Students from Across the Nation Chosen by The GRAMMY Foundation to Participate in Prestigious Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles Program

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2005--Twenty-nine talented high school students have been selected for a position in the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY(R) Jazz Ensembles. Their selection will launch them into the spotlight surrounding the 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards, as well as provide the opportunity to rehearse and perform in front of some of the biggest names in the music industry. Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano have partnered with The GRAMMY Foundation(R) to give students a chance at an extraordinary musical experience.

The students, who represent 29 cities, 13 states and two Canadian provinces, will travel to Los Angeles for a jam-packed musical adventure. They will participate in intensive rehearsals on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7 under the direction of Musical Directors Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music and Dr. Ron McCurdy of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. The Ensembles will then perform at renowned jazz clubs in Los Angeles, including The Vic on Feb. 9 (6:30 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. show) and the Knitting Factory Club Hollywood on Feb. 10 (7 p.m. show). As a grand finale, they will perform at the GRAMMY Pre-Telecast ceremonies and the Post-Telecast Celebration, as well as attend the 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 13 as guests of The Recording Academy(R).

"The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles program continues to provide talented high school musicians an outstanding opportunity to meet and play with peer musicians from across the country," said GRAMMY Foundation and Recording Academy President Neil Portnow. "This once-in-a-lifetime experience brings together future music makers to perform with GRAMMY-nominated artists and attend the GRAMMY Awards. This unique initiative is just one of the ways in which the GRAMMY Foundation engages young people in stimulating and fulfilling educational programs, while striving to keep music and arts curricula in our schools."

Students also are eligible for college scholarships through the college incentive program (more than $2 million available) and through program partners Berklee College of Music, USC Thornton School of Music, New School University, and Manhattan School of Music.

This year, Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano again have teamed up with the GRAMMY Foundation to sponsor the 2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles. The International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) provides the outreach to the music education community.

"Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano are committed to music education and the rewards music can offer a student throughout his or her life," said Henry Juskiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson and Baldwin. "The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble program gives these talented young musicians a chance to perform with some of the world's greatest musicians and team up with remarkable people from the GRAMMY Foundation."

New for 2005, the high schools of each entrant will receive a 90-day subscription to SmartMusic, the complete music practice system by MakeMusic!. The finalists' respective schools also will receive exclusive access to download and print special musical compositions by current GRAMMY nominee Brian McKnight, multiple GRAMMY-winning composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, and Dr. Ron McCurdy for their ensembles. Additionally, the school of each selectee will receive Finale(R) by MakeMusic! and a professional set of high-hat cymbals courtesy of the Zildjian Company. Additionally, BET Jazz will record the 2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles' week-long experience, to be televised in the fall of 2005.

Students interested in the 2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles program can download the application at www.GRAMMYFoundation.com or contact the GRAMMY Foundation at grammyfoundation@grammy.com or 877-GRAMMY-Ed. The GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles program was launched regionally in 1993 and expanded nationally in 1999.

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson's digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Ellington, Chickering, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's Web site at www.gibson.com.

The mission of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) is to assure the continued worldwide growth and development of jazz and jazz education. As a part of that mission, the Association initiates programs which nurture and promote the understanding and appreciation of jazz and its heritage, provides leadership to educators regarding curricula and performance, assists teachers and practitioners with information and resources, and takes an active part in organizing clinics, festivals and symposia at local, regional, national and international levels. Presently, active memberships total upwards of 7,000 teachers, musicians, students, music industry representatives, and enthusiasts in 35 countries.

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music on American culture -- from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of the future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with the Recording Academy to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information about the GRAMMY Foundation and its programs, please visit www.grammy.com/foundation.

Selectees to the 2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles are (listed by each student's name, hometown, school, and instrument or voice):

2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Band

David Palma          Miami, Fla.         New World School     Alto Sax
                                          of the Arts                 

Patrick Keller       Niskayuna, N.Y.     Niskayuna High       Alto Sax
                                          School                      

Ross Mintzer         Interlochen,        Interlochen Arts    Tenor Sax
                      Mich.               Academy                     

Alex Hoffman         Potomac, Md.        Winston Churchill   Tenor Sax
                                          High School                 

Danny Rivera         Bellerose, N.Y.     LaGuardia High   Baritone Sax
                                          School of 
                                          Performing Arts    

Brian Chahley        Toronto, Ont.       Earl Haig Secondary   Trumpet
                                          School                      

Jonathan Challoner   Coombs, B.C.        Kwalikum Secondary    Trumpet
                                          School                      

Kyle Athayde         Orinda, Calif.      Acalanes High School  Trumpet

Stephen Forse        Lake Jackson,       Brazoswood High       Trumpet
                      Texas               School                      

Rami Hachache        La Verne, Calif.    Bonita High School    Trumpet

Harrison Kirk        El Cajon, Calif.    Coronado High        Trombone
                                          School             

Ken Christofferson   Seattle, Wash.      Roosevelt High       Trombone
                                          School             

Miles Fielder        Denver, Colo.       Denver School        Trombone
                                          of the Arts         

Nick Finzer          Rochester, N.Y.     Hilton High          Trombone
                                          School              

David Rosenthal      Longmeadow, Mass.   Longmeadow High        Guitar
                                          School                

Victor Gould         Simi Valley,        L.A. County High        Piano
                      Calif.               School for the Arts    

Earl Travis          Houston, Texas      High School for          Bass
                                          Performing and 
                                          Visual Arts                 

Stephen Renko        Euclid, Ohio        St. Ignatius High       Drums
                                          School                 

2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Choir

Emma Love            Nanaimo, B.C.       Wellington Secondary  Soprano

Alexandra Isley      Los Angeles,        L.A. County High      Soprano
                      Calif.              School for the Arts         

Katie Thiroux        Chatsworth, Calif.  Hamilton High School     Alto
                                          Academy of Music        

Rachel Udall         San Jose, Calif.    Archbishop Mitty         Alto
                                          High School                 

Charles Turner       Carson, Calif.      Hamilton High School    Tenor
                                          Academy of Music       

Pratik Dash          Franklin, Tenn.     Franklin High School    Tenor

Kyle Heimbrock       Greenwood Vill.,    Cherry Creek             Bass
                      Colo.               High School      
                        
Michael Luebke       Sioux City, Iowa    East High School         Bass


2005 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Combo

Andrew Carroll       Manlius, N.Y.       Manlius Pebble          Piano
                                          Hill School                 

William Norris       Seminole, Fla.      Seminole High School     Bass

Corey Fonville       Virginia Beach,     The Governor's School   Drums
                      Va.                 for the Arts