The nominees for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Thursday morning, bringing notice to the most popular television shows and talent. And Traverse City also got a taste of Emmy gold, thanks to composer Brian Katona.
 
Katona graduated from Traverse City Central High School in 1994. A professional composer now based in New York City, Katona won an Emmy for Best Musical Composition from the Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). Katona’s score for a documentary short film called The Builder won him the award. The Builder, directed by filmmaker David Kuznicki, is a six-and-a-half-minute short about a 91-year-old veteran who builds models out of popsicle sticks to maintain a connection with his past. The film can be viewed in full on YouTube.
 
Following his win, Katona had kind words to say about TCAPS, particularly the district’s deep and long-held support for the arts.
 
“I am a proud Traverse City Central graduate,” Katona says. “Growing up in northern Michigan, it was great to have the opportunity to attend high school in a district that supports the arts and music education the way TCAPS does. I am especially thankful to all of the wonderful music teachers I had during my time in Traverse City who truly helped give me the foundational skills needed to build a successful career.”