Choral director honored as Educator of the Year

By Carol Harris

GILROY, CA — With holiday decorations setting the mood, festive
foods and glorious singing by the Gilroy High School Chamber Choir
Carolers, the Gilroy Arts Alliance presented its annual “Angel of
the Year Awards” Dec. 7 at the Interim Center for the Arts. Honored
at the event were Arline Silva and Allstate Insurance as Business
of the Year, Clara Fayette as Volunteer of the Year and Phil Robb
as Educator of the Year.

It’s no secret that Robb has maintained an outstanding choral
music program at Gilroy High School for 27 years, and with the
addition of Christopher High School, the program is growing.
Walking into his choir room at Gilroy High School, one can’t help
but marvel at the display of pictures, awards and plaques covering
the walls, testimonials of 27 years of excellence in choir
directing.

On display in both the choir room and his office are mementos
from choir trips to Japan, eastern Germany, the Czech Republic and
Carnegie Hall in New York City. Before and after school, during
break and lunch, you will find his choir room a-buzz with a cross
section of kids, many of them athletes, whose common interest in
music brings them together.