Brownstock lives on
Jazz Ensemble goes to nationals
by Brittany Grosser-Basile @BrittanyGrosser
LT Jazz Ensemble selected to compete in competition, thriving with excitement
Show of student, staff performers will occur, but in different way
by Gillian Dunlop @gilliandunlop15
(Dayna Larson/LION)
D
espite the uncertain future Brownstock had for much of this school year due to the construction in the Reber Center, organizers have decided that it will happen, but in a different way than the school is used to. “There’s a sense that Brownstock is something that is so unique to LT that it is so worth keeping and that it is so worth making whatever efforts it takes to make it happen,” English teacher Eugene O’Reilly said. “As long as I’m here and I can make it happen, it will happen. I’m committed to it.” Brownstock will be taking place in the Vaughan Gym, in conjunction with the annual Car Show on Saturday, May 16. “I think Brownstock is a wonderful celebration of music at LT, and I love the history and tradition of how it has evolved throughout the years,” Principal Dr. Brian Waterman said. “I was able to attend last year’s event as a guest of Mr. David Franson, and I was so impressed with the talents of our students and staff.” Brownstock would have been the first event taking place in the newly redone Reber Center, and people, including O’Reilly, didn’t feel that it was right to have as the first production, O’Reilly said. Details of the event are still being coordinated, because with the new location, there are new possibilities. One possible change is for SC students to be offered the chance to perform since it’s no longer an event taking place during the school day and they wouldn’t have to be shuttled over. The change of the date also means that English teacher, magician, and typically one of O’Reilly’s partners for the event, Frank Alletto, will not be able to attend the event because of previously booked magic shows. “I think this year’s Brownstock is a good compromise,” Alletto said. “Obviously it’s a hectic year in terms of construction and scheduling. The fact that the administrators are helping the legacy continue is wonderful. The major drawback for the schedule change this year is not being able to be there on the day of Brownstock.” Alletto was the first-ever Brownstock performer, although not officially named that at the time, in 1992, when creator and former English teacher Glen Brown heard that he played guitar and told him to bring it to class so that they could play together in Brown’s old room 117, which is now Alletto’s classroom. Whether or not Brownstock will return to the Reber next year remains undecided, and the decision will likely be influenced by the outcome of this year’s event. “There’s a phrase about being the victim of your own success,” O’Reilly said. “We may do it so well in the Vaughan gym on a Saturday that we may just keep it there. The whole essence of what it was, which was a day off of school where kids got together and enjoyed each other playing music rather than going to class, would be lost.” Auditions for Brownstock will be held the end of April.
Student life tragically lost LT’s crisis team reacts, offers help to grieving students
Buginas was involved in LTTV once he started the TV Production class this semester. He did more truck shoots than the class required, he worked more crew shifts by Brittany Grosser-Basile during Rock-a-thon and he worked really hard on his first @BrittanyGrosser film project, Allan said. When a tragedy occurs, LT has a crisis response team, Dylan Buginas ‘16 died of an alleged suicide, suggestconsisting of around 30 people, including the principal, ed by his last post on his Facebook page, on April 7. assistant and associate principals, guidance counselors, “He was enthusiastic, fun and had a positive attitude,” social workers and psychologists, Buginas’s LTTV teacher Bill Allan said. that meets as soon as they can “I want to remember Dylan for all of the “I want to remember to come up with a plan of action good things that he brought to the world, based on research that asks all of and I hope other people do, too. He was Dylan for all of the the necessary questions to address a good kid, he had a good heart and I will good things that he the problem, and then has followmiss him tremendously.” Buginas posted a video on YouTube on brought to the world, up meetings to see how the situation has been dealt with. Feb. 22, 2014, titled “My Life and my selfand I hope other “In this situation, we want harm story.” In this video, he explained people do, too.” to make sure we reach out to as his family situation, and said that he had many individual students as we severe depression since the third grade -LTTV Teacher Bill Allan can to make sure that they are and has had non-fatal attempts at suicide. safe and to assist them throughout the healing process,” “In junior high, I was abandoned by everybody, treated Principal Dr. Brian Waterman said. as though I was an outcast for no reason,” Buginas said in The crisis team determines which students have been the video. “That was when I got into drugs and self-harm most impacted by it, and in the case of a student death, and depression.” they find which students were friends with the student. Buginas talked about the problems he was having in A counselor also follows these students’ schedules to exthe April Facebook post, and also apologized for things plain the situation to the classes, and lets students know he had done. People commented on the status, hoping to that if they need to come down to the counseling office, stop Buginas. they can. “I’ve known him for a long time, and knowing that “Every life is valuable, and that’s one of the things something this tragic and heartbreaking happened to a that I tried to say in the classroom when I visited,” social good person is horrible,” friend Destiny Hurd ‘15 said. worker Mary Palacios said. “This is a loss in our family, “I want people to know him as more than just another statistic, but a guy who would put others before himself.” Continued on page 3
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For the first time in LT’s history, LT Jazz Ensemble has been selected as one of the 15 jazz band finalists across the United States and Canada to participate in the 20th anniversary of the Essentially Ellington competition located at the Lincoln Center in New York City on May 7-9. “It is pretty unbelievable, because the pool of people that [we] were chosen from is enormous and really talented,” trombone player Kate DeMonica ‘15 said. This year, Jazz at Lincoln Center sent out over 3,200 copies of Duke Ellington music across the U.S. and Canada, giving schools the opportunity to record three songs and send them in to be judged by some of the most world renowned artists and jazz educators. From there, 15 finalists were selected to compete in New York City. “It is an incredible honor to be a member of these 15 groups,” Jazz Ensemble Director Mark Dahl said. “Educationally speaking, it is a tremendous opportunity.” The thousands of bands that submitted the required recordings included not only a pool of public school bands, but also fine arts high schools and conglomerate bands, which are essentially a band made up of the best student musicians in a given city or area. This increased the competition to be selected for one of the coveted 15 spots, but despite these challenges, LT Jazz Ensemble prevailed. “When we found out we made it, it was a big shock, but then when we got over the shock, we knew we deserved it,” tenor saxophone player Andrew Lichtenauer ‘15 said. “I think we have a lot of individual talent, and I think we had a good start right off the bat. Mr. Dahl saw a lot of potential in us.” Jazz Ensemble is only allotted 17 minutes to perform. This includes the time it takes to assemble onstage and get into position before beginning the performance. They are also required to play a new transcription, which will be “Chelsea Bridge;” however, they will be performing “Rockin’ in Rhythm” and “V.I.P.’s Boogie” as well. “There is so much more motivation in the band, because so much is riding on this performance,” DeMonica said. “We want to show what our hard work has done. My biggest fear is not having the band be able to represent what we can do because of nerves.” In order to prepare for the Essentially Ellington competition, every sub section of Jazz Ensemble meets outside of school every week, while the entire band plays together during the day in the class. Additionally, the Lincoln Center is going to send trombone player Chris Crenshaw to give the band insight as how to improve on their skills and help them prepare for the concert. Also, Dahl’s former teacher, Ron Carter, has come to assist with the band’s preparation, administering multiple clinics with the band. “By him being there, it shows how high the expectations are and our potential,” DeMonica said. After all 15 groups perform, the top three bands will be chosen to play in a final concert at the Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, who, according to DeMonica, is a jazz musician comparable to that of Duke Ellington or Count Bassie’s caliber. “The educational experience is crazy,” Lichtenauer said. “The equivalent is going to spring training for baseball or a NFL camp with professionals that play with you and compete with you.” Among all of the excitement for the competition, there still lies the fact that this year’s Jazz Ensemble is comprised of 17 students, 15 of which are seniors and two juniors, leaving the expectation for the success of next year’s Jazz Ensemble unknown. “I think the band is really going to have to work hard [next year] to get to where we are,” DeMonica said. “Most of them are not as experienced as we are this year.” According to Dahl, there is enough depth in the Jazz program at LT where students always step up despite large amounts of seniors graduating. “I think [the competition] serves as a goal for future LT Jazz Ensembles to work for, because now they know it is attainable,” DeMonica said.
Sharing the Field Learn about the various teams occupying Bennett Field this spring.
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