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INTERVIEWS AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
Members of the Wind Ensemble
Rockford, Illinois
May 18, 1999
[Members of the Rockford High School 1998-1999 Wind Ensemble
Todd Genovese, Nazli Yetgen, Jim Ashbaucher, Brian Lipman]
[Hey! Where is Todd?]
TODD GENOVESE
Todd Genovese is a senior who plays the drums. He began playing in 7th Grade and played in the marching band for four years. During the summer, he also plays in the Phantom Regiment. He said the Jefferson High School Marching Band plays for all the home football games and everybody participates for the home basketball games. The marching band does not travel to events outside the Rockford area.
NAZLI YETGEN
Nazli Yetgen is a junior who plays clarinet. She began playing 4 1/2 years ago and says [there is] "Nothing I hate about band." She seemed excited about the new uniforms because now everybody matches. Before, all the band members were supposed to wear sweatshirts and black, but not everybody matched. Her sister played in the marching band and graduated in 1995. While her sister was in school years ago, there was talk about getting new uniforms and they finally arrived.
[Here are Juniors Ryan Vanderheyden and Gary Brown in the new uniforms.
They both play the saxophone.]
[Gary Brown and Ryan Vanderheyden]
JIM ASHBAUCHER
Jim Ashbaucher, sophomore, began playing music when he was seven years old. He marches with a bari sax [one of the heaviest of the saxophones!] and he also plays clarinet. He said his mother became excited about the recent arrival of the new uniforms. She was a little "frazzled" at helping him get ready for the St. Patrick's Parade, the first performance in the new uniforms. The coats zip up in the back and she thought the pants also zipped up in the back. So it turned out that Jim marched the entire parade with his pants on backwards!
BRIAN LIPMAN
Junior Brian Lipman plays the bass clarinet. He began playing about five or six years ago. He enjoys marching and said that the band used to perform at the 4th of July parade years ago, but that participation died off in recent years. Besides bass clarinet, Brian plays a metal folding chair! Band Director Mr. Jay Skoglund started a band called Functional Noise inspired by the nationally known performing group Stomp. At the time of the interview, Functional Noise already auditioned to perform at the summer festival in Rockford called On the Waterfront, but Brian said that they did not know if they will perform there for certain.
[Brian Lipman with his folding chair and more members of Functional Noise]
[With an emphasis on Noise!]
MR. JAY SKOGLUND
Band Director Mr. Jay Skoglund began his musical career in Rockford. He marched under the direction of Mr. Dennis Blunt at Guilford High School from 1970-1974. All the current band directors at the four Rockford high schools received their first musical training and grew up in the Rockford area. Rockford East Band Director Mr. Rick Nolting attended Guilford High School, Guilford Band Director Mr. Ric DeRango attended Boylan High School (private), and Band Director Mr. Doug Hoffman at Auburn graduated from Auburn. [See picutres of Mr. Doug Hoffman under his interview at Auburn, 1973 and Mr. Rick Nolting under Guilford, 1975.] Mr. Skoglund thoroughly enjoyed the marching band at Guilford. The 1970s were a peak time for the Rockford bands. He marched in all the home football games and played for all the home basketball games. The band members used to bring rear view mirrors to band practice to check the marching alignment and have teddy bears with them during the football shows. He said that Band Director Mr. Dennis Blunt always wore a formal looking blue jacket with three gold stripes on the sleeves, but he rode Harley Davidson motorcycles. [See a picture of Mr. Dennis Blunt under Guilford, 1975] After graduating from Guilford, Mr. Skoglund attended Trinity International University and returned to Rockford to become Jefferson High School's band director.
[Mr. Jay Skoglund leading the Jefferson High School Wind Ensemble]
[Members of the Jefferson High School Wind Ensemble]
[James Hall, trombone; Jim Ashbaucher, bari sax; and Kathy Nord, flute]
[Left to Right: Nazli Yetgen, clarinet; Shawna Miller, clarinet; Hillary Martin, clarinet; Katie Streit, clarinet; Brian Lipman, bass clarinet]
[Jim Ashbaucher, bari sax; James Hall, trombone; Todd Genovese, drum set; Issac Gonzalez, percussion]
[First Row: Ryan Vanderheyden, alto sax and Gary Brown, alto sax
Second Row: Cheryl Ogle, trumpet; Steve Soldin, trumpet; and Jon Fry, French horn]
[From top to bottom: James Hall, trombone; Jim Ashbaucher, bari sax; Chris Streit, alto sax; Tracee Vawters; alto sax; Ryan Vanderheyden, alto sax; and Gary Brown, alto sax]
[From back to front: James Sankey, tuba; Chris Streit, tenor sax; Tracee Vawters, alto sax; Ondrea Patrick, oboe]
[Clarinets Back Row: Nazli Yetgen, Shawna Miller
Flutes Front Row: Mary Shenk, Angela Waller, Karl Mauk, Nickie Paul, and Kathy Nord]
[Back Row: Frank Iaquinta, baritone horn; Cheryl Ogle, trumpet; Steve Soldin, trumpet; Jon Fry; French horn
Middle Row: Karl Mavik, flute; Chris Streit, tenor sax; Tracee Vawters, alto sax
Front Row: Nickie Paul, flute; Kathy Nord, flute]
[Portrait of the Rockford High School Marching Band from the 1915 Yearbook and older instruments (age not certain) in the collection at Jefferson High School]
[JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, 1999]
[More images of the Jefferson High School Wind Ensemble]
[Images of the Jefferson High School Marching Band
Memorial Day Parade
Rockford, Illinois
May 31, 1999]
Click here to view a video of the band from the Memorial Day Parade. This video will not work on all computers.
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Copyright 1999 Rockford Public Schools. All Rights Reserved. All images are the property of the Rockford Public Schools and may be used only with permission.
