Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music
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Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music is the first of its kind in the Bronx, New York. Founded by current Principal Dr. William Rodriguez, this small school includes multiple vocal and instrumental ensembles.
[edit] History
CCBxHSM opened in 2003 inside DeWitt Clinton High School. With a freshmen class of just over 90 students, the school had four classrooms and two offices inside Clinton and an office, a choral room, a storage closet, and use of the band room in Lehman College. The school now has one half of the top floor of the Walton Campus building.
During its first school year, CCBxHSM performed for various constituencies such as the Chancellor Joel Klein, Pedro Knight (husband of Celia Cruz), Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and FAME. They also performed in Lincoln Center and in CitiGroup Jazz Festivals. Their annual Winter and Spring Concerts are held in the Lovinger Theater in Lehman College.
Halfway into its first year, CCBxHSM received news that the school was to be relocated from Clinton High School to the Walton Campus. Rumours abounded, including word that the Alumni Association of Clinton was not happy with CCBxHSM's overshadowing of Clinton. Enraged parents protested and petitioned for the school to stay in Clinton, but the efforts were fruitless. The school began its second year on the third floor of the Walton Campus.
June 2007 finds the school with its first graduating class. It is estimated that 92% of the senior class will graduate on time.
[edit] CCBxHSM Today
Today, the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music is at its full capacity of 365 students. Competition for entry into the school has grown as well.
In addition to a strong and rigorous academic program, there is an intense music program. There are four types of ensembles in CCBxHSM: Vocal, Strings, Band, and Piano. Within the three types of ensembles exist subdivisions. Students with vocal abilities, for example, go into a freshmen choir during their first year, then audition to be placed in either Select Choir, Women's choir or Concert choir for their second year. With the band, students go to freshmen band during their first year, then audition for either Symphonic or Concert Band for their sophomore, junior, or senior year. String students go into a freshmen string ensemble for their first year, then audition for either Concert or Major String ensembles thereafter.
Within CCBxHSM lies a myriad of extracurricular ensembles open to students passing all of their classes.
- Jazz Band
- Latin Band
- Saxophone Ensemble
- String Quartet
- Rock Band
- Woodwind Quintet
- Dance group
