MiraCosta College Music Department Receives Prestigious Awards

​For the fifth year in a row, the MiraCosta Music Program has been honored by the nation’s premier jazz magazine, DownBeat, in its 42nd Annual Student Music Awards.

Gabrielle Dodaro—Community College Outstanding Soloist (Vocal)
Arek Gralnic—Community College Outstanding Performer (Guitar)
Andrew Saliba—Graduate College Winner, Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist (Western Michigan University—MiraCosta graduate)
Maggie Robertson—High School Outstanding Vocal Soloist (Royal High School in Simi Valley—will attend MiraCosta in the fall)
 
“What an honor that music students from MiraCosta College have received national recognition from DownBeat magazine for five consecutive years!” responded MiraCosta College music instructor Matt Falker, “Gabrielle and Arek have been dedicated to developing their talent in as many ways as possible over the past few semesters and wholeheartedly deserve this recognition.”
 
DownBeat magazine was first published in 1934 and is the most prominent jazz publication in the world. Every year the magazine selects the best student bands from around the country in a number of divisions. The bands submit recordings, which are then evaluated by a panel of internationally celebrated jazz performers and educators. The recordings are anonymous and ranked by the panel based solely on musicality.
 
To see the full list of this year’s winners, view the June 2019 issue at downbeat.com.
 
About MiraCosta College
 
The MiraCosta Community College District has served the coastal North San Diego County area for over 80 years. More than 21,000 credit students per semester in over 70 disciplines enroll in associate degrees, university transfer and workforce readiness certificate programs. The college also serves a wide spectrum of educational needs in the region ranging from programs for adult education, basic skills, and ESL to a California Community College pilot program offering the nation’s first baccalaureate degree in biomanufacturing. MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).