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8
FEATURE
March 2, 2007 • THE ARROW
Young Maestros Know How to Play It Right
Three students in the WHS Instrumental Music
program hone their varied talents in select
groups from Chamber Orchestra to Jazz Band.
Li Takes Orchestral Lead
MELANIE LEAHY
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
COURTESY PHOTOS
While some musicians casually play
their instrument with little interest or
drive, others are very dedicated and put
their whole heart into playing and making
music. Brandishing all the qualities of
the latter, Ralph Li ’07 is an extremely
talented violinist who is highly respected
for his talents at WHS and throughout the
community.
Li, who has played violin at WHS for
four years, is now the co-concertmaster of
the WHS Chamber Orchestra.
As the leader of the ensemble, he feels
more responsibility to guide the group
through a year of challenging pieces of
music. Their last concert on Feb. 8 featured
a variety of memorable movie music from
Gladiator and The Phantom of the Opera.
Kirit Karkare ‘07, co-concertmaster of
WHS Chamber Orchestra and long time
peer of Li, is proud to know such a gifted
musician.
“Ralph exemplifies leadership by
example. He doesn’t need to say anything
to make others watch how he plays, and
we all fail hopelessly at emulating his
skills,” he said.
Outside of school, Li is the assistant
concertmaster of the celebrated Conejo
Valley Youth Orchestra, where he has been
playing for many years.
In his earlier high school years, Li
was also a member of the Sunset Hills
Strings. “We played for private parties,
and retirement homes and sometimes got
hired for other jobs,” said Li.
In 2005 Li was accepted into the
Young Musician’s Foundation, which
provides encouragement and recognition
to gifted young musicians from around
the country. Playing in a quintet through
the organization, one of Li’s performances
at LACMA was broadcast on the classical
radio station 105.1 KMZT.
For the last two years, Li has been
taking lessons at the Colburn School of
Music in Los Angeles, a very prestigious
music conservatory that offers music and
performing arts education. Li is currently
taking weekly lessons from one of
Colburn’s acclaimed faculty, Sam Fischer.
TAKING THE LEAD: Concertmaster Ralph Li plays the violin at the WHS Winter Concert.
Making music is something that Li has
a passion for, and he wishes to continue
studying violin and possibly minor in
music in college.
“Music is such a big part of people’s
lives everyday, even though they may not
even realize it. It’s a really fun thing to do,”
said Li.
His current inspiration is Hilary Hawn
because she is “an amazing violinist.”
The violin is not the only instrument
Li plays. “I play the guitar too. I lead
worship for my youth group at the Chinese
Christian Church of Thousand Oaks,” said
Li, proving he truly has an aptitude for
playing instruments.
Appreciating genres of music other
than those in his classical background, Li
also enjoys listening to jazz, rock, pop, hiphop, and R&B.
Certainly, after devoting four years
to the program, Li knows he will “miss
the people and the opportunity to play at
school.” His leadership in the school group
will surely be remembered highly.
Li, at times, seems unassuming about
his talent for the violin even though he has
already achieved much acknowledgment
in the competitive world of music. Li will
no doubt excel in his musical future.
King Conquers Band Practice Pelleg Excels in Top Bands
JACKIE BOROWSKI
SPORTS EDITOR
has found that the band, already improved
under the leadership of former director
Kyle Luck, has continued in the same
upward direction.
“We keep getting bigger and better.
It’s amazing,” said King.
Despite the myriad of musicians
playing a variety of instruments in the
WHS Instrumental Music Program,
very few are actually motivated
enough to become professional
musicians post-high school. But
Mike King ‘07 is the exception to
the rule.
With determination, the
ability to master four instruments,
and the drive to participate in
three separate musical classes,
King has demonstrated every
characteristic
necessary
to
achieve his dream of becoming a
professional musician.
King began in fourth grade by
playing the trumpet, and has since
progressed to euphonium, bass
trombone, tuba, and has become a
percussionist in Drumline.
King is currently a member of
the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic
Band, and Studio Jazz Band while
also participating in Regiment in
the fall. He is also competing with
the WHS Drumline, playing the
bottom bass drum.
Despite the variety of music
that King has been exposed to,
King’s favorite type of music to MAKING MUSIC: Band member Mike King blows the
audience away with his inspired trombone playing.
play is classical.
With such a complete
King still maintains that it is not
immersion into music, King has also
developed an intense respect for the the music, but the people that keep him
coming back.
program itself.
He is a member of many honor bands
“I just love to be a part of the program.
We all care for each other because we’re across the state and participates in the
just one big freaky family with all of the professional band Lane 29, directed by
typical cliques that can be found at school,” WHS assistant director Mike Gangemi.
“The staff members and the band
explained King.
King’s greatest joy has come through make it worth being here along with the
the Wind Ensemble, a band attributed by quality of the people. But this would not
the main conductor at UCLA to be “one of be happening without Mr. G and Mr.
Peter, and of course Mr. Luck last year,”
the best in the nation.”
“The maturity of the band and the explained King.
King plans on studying music at
level of music we play is astounding,” said
either California State University Long
King.
Despite the change of direction this Beach or CSU Northridge on his journey to
year with new director Brian Peter, King be a professional musician.
Band, the Ventura County Honor Jazz
Band, and the California Band Director’s
Association.
Entering the Wind Ensemble and
Pelleg’s work ethic “is far beyond
Studio Jazz Ensemble as a freshman is a what anyone should expect from a 15-year
rare occurrence, yet Michael Pelleg ‘09 old musician,” says Gangemi.
accomplished this feat and is First Chair
As the lead alto saxophone in the
Saxophone for his second year.
Studio Jazz Ensemble, Pelleg is “doing a
Pelleg decided to play saxophone wonderful job,” according to Gangemi.
seven years ago after he heard the “The best thing about Michael Pelleg is
instrument on The Simpsons when Lisa that we still get two more years with him...
played a solo in a concert; he immediately The worst thing about Michael is that we
knew he wanted to try it.
only have two more years with him!”
One of the most gratifying
aspects of being in many bands,
according to Pelleg, is “making good
music” in addition to the fun trips,
including an 11 hour trip up to Reno
aboard a bus with the jazz band.
“Michael is a very talented
and promising musician whose
leadership is very advanced and
his
improvisational
skills
are
outstanding,”
shares
Morgan
Berliner ‘08.
Having started band under last
year’s band director, Kyle Luck,
Pelleg strives to leave “fingerprints”
on the sounds coming out of his
instrument and making the music
his own.
Like Luck, band director, Brian
Peter, exposes the jazz band to “great
musicians and jazz composers” who
inspire the group to become better
musicians.
Peter and Gangemi are “both
wonderful men and wonderful
teachers that will take this music
JAZZ: Michael Pelleg takes his saxophone solos to the program to new levels,” says Pelleg.
Pelleg
wants to reach the
next level in WHS Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble.
“technique of Charlie Parker, the
sound of David Sanborn, and the
Pelleg continued playing because he
“found music to be very fun and it seemed wisdom of Phil Woods.”
Apparently, one of his goals has
like a fun hobby.”
Now in Wind Ensemble and the already been reached since his friend,
Studio Jazz Band, Pelleg was awarded Michael Rudin ‘09 says that “Pelleg is the
“Outstanding Soloist” at the Festival In David Sanborn of WHS.”
Pelleg’s coming performances include
The Parks mainly because his work ethic
“[produces] great results,” said Mike the Ventura County Honor Band at Buena
High School on March 2, a jazz concert on
Gangemi.
Aside from playing at school, Pelleg March 13, and Irvine’s Jazz Festival on
participates in the Ventura County Honor March 17.
MELINDA CHARNAS
STAFF WRITER