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by Tom Boyle With rehearsals under way, the THS jazz band is lining up dates for another successful performing season. According to Kevin Vinson, band director, 20 students are in this year�s group, which initially got together at the beginning of December. Vinson explained that the musicians are chosen on a sign-up basis. If there are too many players in a section, auditions are then arranged for the seats. �We try to take as many (musicians) as we can, in order to get a good sound,� said Vinson. As the band members began to warm up on Monday evening, Vinson said the song list so far is comprised of �Route 66, �Basin Street Blues� and �Lucretia Mac Evil.� �Things have been going very well so far,� said Vinson. �We�ve made a lot of progress on these pieces.� Vinson commented that the toughest part of putting together the jazz group is simply getting the students together when they can meet at one time. �One of hardest parts (of putting the band together) is to get 20 people together with 20 different schedules,� Vinson said. Vinson said the qualities he looks for in accepting students into the band are confidence and the initiative to work on the music on their own. �A big thing is for the students to be able to play independently. We can�t go over (the music) part by part here,� said Vinson. Vinson also said band members must be dependable and show up for both rehearsals and performances. �They need to show they are committed,� he said. Alto saxophone player Leanna Goldsmith is now in her fourth year with the jazz band. �I really like jazz,� she said. The senior, who also plays with the THS concert band and marching band, enjoys the classic sounds of Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller, but lists Kenny G and Jim Snidero as her favorite saxophone performers. She added Vinson to that list. Percussionist Deborah Neu, also a senior, is in her second year with the band. �I get to go places and meet different people,� she said of the experience of playing in a high schol jazz group. Neu said she likes the Ellington and Louis Armstrong, along with groups like Beatles from the 1960s. To book a performance call Vinson at the high school (814) 827-9687. THS Jazz Band 2005 n Saxophone � Leanna Goldsmith, Alicia Hetrick, Jon Varian, Susan Nellis - Matt Copley, Leoni Siliga, Adam Barker, Aaron Kalkbrenner - Trombone � Jeff Ledebur, Adam Freed, Brad Allis, Chris Bean - Piano � Andrea Klingler - Guitar � David Fulton, Dan Stockwell - Brian Christy, Nate Galmish - Nick Lane, Deb Neu Add a comment  |
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