Visual & Performing Arts Hall of Fame
Visual & Performing Arts Hall of Fame
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2025 Induction Class
Keiran Hanlon, Class of 2008 - Musician, Professor
Kieran Hanlon, a 2008 graduate of Canandaigua Academy, studied violin and bass in the Canandaigua City School District’s Orchestra and Jazz programs. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies (Bass) from the University of Michigan School of Music. He later received a Master of Music in Double Bass Performance from the Eastman School of Music. Kieran is currently an Associate Professor of Double Bass and Jazz at the State University of New York at Fredonia and continues to perform across the country on both acoustic and electric bass.
Fred Johnson - Academy Teacher, Artist, Muralist
Fred Johnson taught art in the Canandaigua City School District for over 30 years, inspiring thousands of students with his gentle and patient approach. He was the chairman of the Art Department and the advisor to the Academian yearbook club. Remembered for his dedication to teaching mastery-level painting techniques, Johnson left a lasting impact not only through his instruction but also through his own artwork, especially his murals and landscape paintings of Canandaigua and its lake. One of his most notable murals can be seen outside the auditorium at Canandaigua Academy on East Street. Bi
Jim & Trish Kelley - Dedicated Volunteers, Steadfast Contributors, Supporters
Jim and Trish Kelley have been devoted supporters and contributors to the Canandaigua Academy drama program and Academy Players for over a quarter century. Jim expertly designed and built sets for more than 50 productions, while Trish served as house manager and manager of the costume shop, attending to every detail to ensure each performance ran smoothly and professionally. Together, they played a vital role in the success of Canandaigua’s musicals and plays, creating a well-organized, welcoming, and family-like environment for students and staff alike. Jim and Trish organized and curated decades worth of supplies, sets, props, and costumes such that future productions could run efficiently and with fiscal responsibility for the sake of sustainability.
Bill Mehls - Canandaigua Primary & Elementary Teacher, Musician
Bill Mehls was a dedicated general music teacher at the Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School, serving the Canandaigua City School District for nearly 30 years. He encouraged and facilitated classroom plays and composed many songs, including “Our School Community,” which remains the school song and is performed at all school-wide assemblies. A strong advocate for using the arts to celebrate events and traditions, Bill expanded the beloved Holiday Sing-Along and Flag Day celebrations—traditions that continue to be an important part of the UPK–5 school community. Beyond his teaching career, Bill has remained an active and committed member of the Canandaigua community, serving as a church music director, performing with the Finger Lakes Community Band, and serving on the Canandaigua Tree Advisory Board.
Hayley Miller - Class of 2013 - Acclaimed Flutist, Educator
Hayley Miller, a 2013 graduate of Canandaigua Academy, has performed as a flutist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera. Her passion for the flute began during her time as a student in the Canandaigua City School District and continued to flourish as she graduated valedictorian and summa cum laude from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. She completed a Master’s at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to her performance career, Hayley has taught and led master classes across the United States and has made many guest appearances as principal flutist and piccolo performer. She has received many awards for flute performance and is nationally recognized with top honors in both contemporary and classical repertoire.
Michael Steck - Class of 1991 - Performer, Writer, Comedian
Michael Steck, a 1991 graduate of Canandaigua Academy, was an active member of the drama club and performed in several school productions, widely regarded as one of the most talented actors in our school history. His creative work was also featured in the CA Literacy Magazine. During his time at the Academy, he received multiple drama club awards, including Best Actor for Damn Yankees. Today, Michael is a writer, recording artist, comedian, actor, and internationally recognized drag performer. He was a repeat contestant on the Emmy-winning show RuPaul’s Drag Race. He has been featured on shows for NBC, Netflix, Bravo, MTV, VH1, and OutTV.
The Canandaigua City School District will host this induction of the Visual and Performing Arts Hall of Fame class in partnership with the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center. The Fort Hill Performing Arts Center is located in the former Canandaigua Academy and Canandaigua Junior Academy on the corner of Main Street and Fort Hill Avenue. The theater functioned as the main stage and performance center for the Canandaigua City School District from 1928 until the closing of the school in 1992. A group of local residents worked tirelessly to renovate the auditorium, which reopened in January 2020 and now hosts a variety of community performances throughout the year.
Reservations to the induction ceremony on September 25, 2025 will be on sale in August/September at the District Office or by contacting Debbie Sundlov at 585-396-3710.
The Homecoming Football Game will be held on Friday, September 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the CA Stadium at Canandaigua Academy against Churchville-Chili.
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2022 Inaugural Induction Class
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Canandaigua Academy Instrumental Music Director & Curriculum Area Lead Teacher
Mr. Tom Davis was an instrumental music teacher for the Canandaigua City School District from 1992 to 2014, serving much of his career as the Curriculum Area Lead Teacher. Mr. Davis taught music lessons and International Baccalaureate Music, conducted the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Parade Band, and the Academy Pep Band, The Sound! Mr. Davis was an integral part of the development and success of the Canandaigua Academy music program and started the annual Holiday Prism Concert at the Academy. Under his leadership, opportunities in music for students in the Canandaigua City School District greatly expanded. -
Canandaigua Academy Class of 1974 - Theatrical Lighting Designer, Educator, Community Volunteer
Mr. Gordon Estey's career focused on theatre lighting design, technical direction, and stage management. He served as technical director and lighting designer with the Canandaigua Academy Players for thirty-three years, from 1970-1976 and 1992-2019. He retired as resident technical director, lighting, and scenic designer for the Rochester City Ballet and technical director for Finger Lakes Opera and the Rochester Broadway Theatre League. He was also the lighting director for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the Eastman Theatre. He has greatly impacted the theatrical arts in Canandaigua and Rochester. Mr. Estey was instrumental in the founding and development of the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center. -
Canandaigua Academy Class of 1983 - Cabaret Performer, Vocalist, and Comedian
After graduating from the Academy, Ms. Terese Genecco spent forty years as a vocalist, bandleader, comedian, and emcee based first in San Francisco and then in New York City. Ms. Genecco and her Little Big Band focused on high-energy Cabaret performances. Ms. Genecco’s Cabaret accolades include best debut vocalist and entertainer of the year from judges at the San Francisco/ Bay Area Cabaret Competition in 2003. She also has earned other awards, including a 2008 Best Recording award from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) for her live recording “Drunk with Love: A Tribute to Frances Faye” and the 2009 MAC award for Outstanding Female Vocalist. While a student at the Academy, Ms. Genecco participated in choir and band and earned a BFA from Syracuse University in musical theater in 1987. -
Canandaigua Academy Class of 1986 - Stage & Screen Actor, Television Star
After graduating from Canandaigua Academy and Nazareth College, Mr. Michael Park anded lead and supporting actor roles in numerous regional, national, Broadway and off-Broadway productions. In 1997, he joined the cast of CBS-TV daytime drama As the World Turns and for fourteen years he starred as Detective Jack Snyder. He earned a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Leader Actor in a Drama Series in 2010 and 2011. In 2018, he earned a third Daytime Emmy for Creative Arts in an Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program. In 2016, Park starred in the Broadway shows, Tuck Everlasting and Dear Evan Hansen. Mr. Park earned a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2018 for Dear Evan Hansen. Mr. Park also appeared in season three of the Netflix hit series Stranger Things. Mr. Park has had truly remarkable success in his career on Broadway and on television. Mr. Park has truly had an outstanding acting career. -
Canandaigua Academy English Teacher & Drama Director
Mr. Scott Schauman directed the Canandaigua Academy Fall Plays and Spring Musicals from 1990-2022. Under Mr. Schauman’s direction, the Academy Players soared to new heights and set a standard of excellence in their productions. With more than three decades of shows involving thousands of students and support staff, Mr. Schauman’s favorite productions include the modern classic, “Les Misérables,” and “Disaster!”, a spoof on the 1970s disaster movies; and the jukebox musical of Elvis Presley music, “All Shook Up.” From 1990 to his retirement in 2022, Mr. Schauman taught English at the Academy, including courses on creative writing, Shakespeare, and Theatre and Drama. Throughout his career at Canandaigua Academy, Mr. Schauman mentored, inspired, and impacted the lives of thousands of students. -
Canandaigua Academy Vocal Music Director
Mrs. Amy Story started teaching at Canandaigua Middle School in 1997 and then moved to Canandaigua Academy four years later and retired in 2015 as the vocal director at the Academy. While teaching at the Academy, Mrs. Story was recognized by the American Choral Directors’ Association for her commitment to choral education and worked tirelessly to make the program nationally recognized. During her time at Canandaigua Academy, Mrs. Story directed the Academy Choirs, Madrigal Choir, Jazz Choir, Mixed Choir, and Women’s Choir. She was the director of music for the Academy Players Productions from 2002-2014. Mrs. Story worked extensively with the vocalists in Academy Players Productions and impacted thousands of students during her time at Canandaigua Academy.
To Qualify
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- Attended Canandaigua Academy and made significant contributions in the visual and performing arts sponsored by the Canandaigua City School District OR:
- Led a Canandaigua City School District ensemble or group for a minimum of five years OR:
- Made significant contributions to the students of the Canandaigua City School District through the visual and/or performing arts OR:
- Attended Canandaigua Academy and may not have participated in the visual or performing arts but made significant contributions to the arts after high school.
Additional Information: A ten-year waiting period is required for induction from the time of graduation from the Academy or the equivalent time period has passed from a traditional high school date of graduation. Staff members should no longer be with the district at the time of nomination.
Visual & Performing Arts Hall of Fame Nomination Form
If you have any questions, please contact Deb Sundlov, District Clerk- (585) 396-3710.
