Calcari earns Gottschalk award for music education

[ Originally published on: Thursday, April 03, 2008 ]

GREENFIELD -- Paul Calcari has been director of music for the Greenfield public schools for the past 22 years. His list of duties include the conductor of the high school concert chorus, select chorus, symphony winds, marching band, jazz band and the seventh- and eighth-grade concert band at the middle school.

In recognition of his ''outstanding contributions to music performance and education in the Pioneer Valley,'' Calcari has been chosen as a recipient of a Gottschalk Award.

The award honors Nathan Gottschalk, who was the music director and conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony for 37 years. The May 17 concert marks the 15th anniversary of his retirement. At an awards dinner on May 3, the Pioneer Valley Symphony and Chorus will present the sixth annual Gottschalk Memorial Awards.

According to a statement from the Pioneer Valley Symphony and Chorus, Calcari's award-winning groups have performed at numerous conventions, clinics and music festivals across the country. His instrumental and choral groups have worked with some of the best composers, arrangers and teachers in music education today.

For many years, Calcari's young musicians have performed with well-known groups and professionals throughout the region, including the Pioneer Valley Symphony and Chorus.

Under Calcari's direction, the Greenfield High School music department has been successful in producing music students who have gone on to prestigious music schools and performed around the world, the awards committee notes.

Calcari said, this year, the chorus has performed in many different languages, including German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Nigerian and English.

''(Music) is one of the things that gets everyone together in the school,'' said Calcari.

 

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