— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees
An Oakhurst student is one of 10 art scholars from Madera County,
and the only one from Eastern Madera County, to be accepted into the California
State Summer School for the Arts in Valencia.
Steven Ramos, a junior at Yosemite
High School who plays both the acoustic and electric guitar, was accepted after
writing a letter as to why he wanted to go to the summer school and presented
an audition tape reflecting two different forms of music.
One piece was his own composition
and the other was the classical “Malaguena.”
Steven was honored at a reception
hosted by the Madera County Arts Council and sponsored by Cal Fed Bank.
He was presented with a bronze
medallion embossed with the state seal, and commendations from legislative
offices.
“I was pretty surprised; I was
pretty happy,” Steven says of learning of his acceptance.
Steven has been a member of the YHS Mens Choir for three years
and has been accepted into the YHS Chamber Singers for next year.
He took first place at the YHS
talent show in March and went on to take second place in the Central Sierra
League all-school talent show
Steven has been playing the guitar
since he was four when his father introduced him to it. “He showed me a few
chords, and Itook off on it,” says Steven. He and his father jam for fun, now.
He started formal lessons at 10, the same age he first performed at a
DARE presentation at Oak Creek Intermediate.
He was the “open mike” coordinator
last year at the Daily Grind and performed on Monday nights.
“My life is music,” he says. “I
have always been serious about it. I have always played from my heart. It has
always been my passion.”
Steven plans to attend college at
California State School for the Arts majoring to study composing and recording
of music. “I want to get into film and music videos,” he says.
He is the son of Ed and Jan Ramos,
Oakhurst.
The four-week summer school is in its 15th year. The
school is internationally known for its professional arts-training program.
Students will have a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend four weeks living, eating and
interacting with their peers and professionals in their fields. Of more than
1,400 applications from throughout the state, CSSSA was able to invite 500 to
attend.
Classes will be taught by those
professional artists who are working in the field, many from the film industry,
the world of recorded music, and known painters, writers and dancers.