By Natalie Swanson ’13, Staff Writer

While most Newark Academy students were at home watching the Grammys from their couches, one student, sophomore Coleman Hughes, was lucky enough to not only attend, but also perform.  Coleman was chosen by the Grammy Foundation to spend a week in Los Angeles, California for the 54^th Annual Grammy Awards.

Coleman has been playing the trombone for four years, and was recognized for his talent by the organization. Coleman is often on the Newark Academy stage during band concerts wowing the crowd with trombone solos. He had the opportunity to share his talents with an impressive audience at the Grammy after-party.

Coleman heard about the Grammy Camp Jazz Session from some of his fellow band mates. In order to apply, there were a few requirements. The audition consisted of an online application, along with a video recording of the musician.

In early December, the phone rang at the Hughes household. “The Grammy Camp called my house, and my Mom picked up,” Coleman explained. He said he was shocked to hear that he had been selected to be one of the 30 students chosen to go to the Grammys. Coleman boarded a plane to California with his parents for the week-long experience, which included performances at different Grammy events and an actual invite from The Recording Academy to the 54^thGrammys.

The Grammy Camp Jazz Group consisted of 30 students from all over the country. “One of the best parts of the trip was meeting the other kids in the program,” Coleman said about the experience.

The first three days in Los Angeles consisted of long, seven-hour band rehearsals. Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music directed the rehearsals. The talented director prepared the band members for their after-party Grammy performance. Coleman was already familiar with the music pieces at that point, but it was critical for the group to practice together. The exhausting rehearsals were all worth it – each band member got his or her own seat at the Staples Center to watch the Grammys. “The seats were the highest in the arena, but it was still very exciting,” Coleman explained.

The night of the Grammys, Coleman walked the red carpet, along with four of the other band members, and had his picture taken. Coleman did not boast about his celebrity treatment, but he said it was a pretty cool experience to stand on the famous red carpet.

When asked about his favorite performance at the Grammys, Coleman responded that Coldplay stood out. He saw many stars including Ryan Seacrest, Tyra Banks, Shaggy, and Carrie Underwood. Although he looked forward to hearing Adele, unfortunately he had to leave before her performance to prepare for his show at the after-party. The band played, “mostly jazz songs collaborated with some Grammy nominated music, along with some R&B and Soul.”

Coleman reflected on the experience, explaining that he learned a lot about the trombone from his time with the band. He was fortunate enough to play alongside kids who are just as passionate about music as he is. He gained a great deal of musical knowledge, but he said that attending the actual Grammy Awards stood out as the highlight of his trip.