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The Board of Education in Leitchfield, Kentucky, supported its local school music program at Grayson County High School two years ago by accepting the invitation to become a Conn-Selmer All American High School. This partnership with Conn-Selmer has become the cornerstone of a total commitment to the school for the growth and stability of the fine arts programs.
The Conn-Selmer All American High School program recognizes the most outstanding high school instrumental programs in America. With the special relationship established with these schools, the Conn-Selmer program assists the school in owning new, quality instruments in order to improve the quality of their programs. The six year program helps to establish the school system as a leader in music and music education. The program also includes scholarship and educational opportunities for the band program, as well as an extended warranty for instruments.
Since Grayson County High School implemented the program, significant improvements have been accomplished in the music program. “It has added some legitimacy to the entire program”, says Stephen Keys, Director of Bands. “We are a rural school where the arts and music are appreciated. Our partnership with Conn-Selmer has made people look the music department (especially the band program) with a bit more seriousness. It is easy for schools and school boards to say that they support the band; it’s another to come through with the funds to prove it. Ours has proven that they are getting serious about the band program”.
The school replaced every school owned instrument; 4 concert tubas, 4 sousaphones, 4 marching euphoniums, 4 concert euphoniums, 6 marching horns, 6 concert horns, 2 oboes, 2 piccolos, 1 bassoon, 2 bass clarinets, 2 tenor saxophone, 1 baritone saxophone, and 1 set of timpani. They also participated in a Conn-Selmer High School rewards program in 2007 and were able to get a new set of chimes, and a new concert bass drum. “It has helped to boost the moral of the students too. Before we began the program, many, if not all the instruments, were in very poor condition. When all of the new instruments arrived, the students finally felt like someone cared about them and the program”, adds Stephen. “It is a wonderful program. I wish it was around when I began teaching. Rarely do you get a chance to have all your students play on top of the line instruments. The decision to join was made even easier because it was Conn-Selmer. My students have always used Conn-Selmer products with great success. It is a product that I am proud to have my students play on”.