2007
Mozart, Stravinsky, Brizendine
Senior displays talent far beyond his years
u C helsea C allas _____________
Contributing Writer
Taylor Brizendine, senior,
has perfected 20-30 pieces of
music and hopes to become a
composer in New York. The
first step? Gaining admission
to the music school which
accepts only two composers
worldwide per year: the
Curtis Institute of Music.
Although Brizendine
currently plays the bassoon,
his passion lies in composing.
He has started, hated or not
finished anywhere from 200-
300 symphonies (he isn't quite
sure of the exact number), but
has also completed around 20-
30 pieces of which he is very
proud.
"If you try to write the
letter 'A' absolutely perfectly,
and don't stop until it's
perfect, over time that's a
lot of A's," Brizendine said,
answering the question of
why has he written so many
pieces.
Although Brizendine has
a vast talent for composing,
he receives help from his
friends, Jeff Cumpston, Band
and Orchestra Director, his
Portland Youth Philharmonic
group, and his private music
composition teacher, Tomas
Svoboda. Svoboda, according
to Brizendine, is one of the
best composers of the 20th
and 21st century.
Svoboda also taught
Cumpston who agrees with
Brizendine's assessment.
After seeing Brizendine's
immense amount of talent and
intelligence in writing music,
Cumpston handed him over
to his previous composition
teacher.
As for Brizendine's
family, he says they are very
supportive of his music.
Although his mother, Lisa,
has no music background, his
father, Don, plays the drums
in gigs at clubs in downtown
Portland in addition to his full
time job.
Brizendine has been
involved with music since he
was in second grade, starting
with the piano, switching to
the tenor sax, and now the
bassoon; a recommendation
of his current band teacher,
Cumpston. He also
participates in an exclusive
youth music organization
called the Portland Youth
Philharmonic.
Along with his drive to
compose great pieces of
music, Brizendine also loves
the feeling of accomplishment
after writing a piece. He
confesses that it takes a lot
of discipline for him to sit
down and write sometimes,
especially when he is being
paid to do so.
Brizendine has already
started a composing career.
He says sometimes when he
has to sit down and write to
meet a deadline it feels forced,
Taylor Brizendine pieces together
a composition on the piano. The
senior, who has a deep passion
for music, has been perfecting
his art for the last ten years and
hopes to be admitted to the Curtis
Institute of Music.
Photo by Malia Chong
but he does his best to stay
inspired.
"I try to see the good
things in nature. If you're too
Gay/Straight Alliance makes voice heard
m HlLLI ClAVARELLQ_____________
We've tried to make GSA
more active this year by
being involved with the
LGBTQ community," Oliverio
said. Events like National
Coming Out Day, Ally Week
and the Cascade AIDS walk
have helped the club be
more vocal in and outside of
school.
The Cascade AIDS
more than 300 pledges
Staff Reporter
signed.
The Gay/Straight Alliance
"I like to think it raised
club is geared towards
awareness. Most people
promoting the tolerance of
signed them, but there were
members in the gay, lesbian,
some people who weren't
bisexual and transgendered
as open minded to it,"
community. In past years
Brizendine said.
they haven't been as vocal
The Day of Silence
but this year's new president
demonstration is also at
Angela Oliverio and vice-
the top of the list for GSA
president Taylor
members this
Brizendine,
year. This annual
seniors, are
nationwide
hoping to make
demonstration,
that a thing of the
in its 11th year,
past.
is held on April
"Homophobia
18. It speaks
is a major issue
out against
at West Linn that
LGBTQ bullying
affects everyone
in schools and
regardless of
the community.
sexual orientation.
With anticipation
for the Day of
We are trying to
Silence mounting,
create a presence
comes concern
in the school and
stemming from
claim a voice,"
the repercussions
Oliverio said.
felt two years ago
Their goal this
after West Linn
year is to create a
safe and accepting Angela Oliverio, president, talks with GSA members Anna was mentioned
O'Kain and Ariel Heston, seniors. The club plans to be more on the national
atmosphere, by
active in the community, participating in events like Cascade conservative radio
reaching out
AIDS Walk and Ally Week.
Photo by Malia Chong
show, Lars Larson.
to the school
walk, attended by 15 GSA
and the community. The
"My excitement for the
members, took place in
members of GSA have tried
day outweighs any concerns.
downtown Portland on
to make their voices heard
We hope to make the Day of
October 13. Ally Week was
by attending many different
Silence a very big deal this
national events involved with held the week of October 14-
year with many participants.
20. It was a national event in
the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
My hope is that many people
which students and teachers
transgender, and queer
will participate and the
pledged
to
end
anti-LGBTQ
[LGBTQ] community.
silence will be felt throughout
bullying and harassment
"Our club is about
the school. We must end the
in K-12 schools. At WLHS,
celebrating diversity
discrimination," Oliverio
it was a huge success, with
said.
regardless of orientation.
critical, nothing is inspiring,"
Brizendine said.
Along with nature,
Brizendine is inspired by
other composers' work, other
music, and people, but says
it's not always a specific
thing, but all different things
at different times. One of his
greatest inspirations, though,
is Cumpston, his instructor
and the teacher of Symphonic
Band, in which Brizendine
plays.
To Brizendine, Cumpston
is not only a great teacher, but
also a great friend. Brizendine
has spent almost four years,
nearly four periods a day with
Cumpston, and even more
if you count Brizendine and
Cumpston's out-of-school
relationship which goes as
far as Brizendine baby sitting
Cumpston's children.
Cumpston says Brizendine
is doing amazing things and
the reason lies within his
personality and spirit. He says
Brizendine's great sense of
humor, open mind, creativity
and free spirit come through
in the music he writes and
help to make it great.
"I've never had anybody
write composition like Taylor,"
Cumpston said.
Cumpston acknowledges
that Brizendine, along with
many other talented band
students, go unnoticed. "If
they're not on stage acting and
singing they get overlooked,"
Brizendine agreed.
Brizendine has high
aspirations for his future,
including attending Curtis,
one of the leading music
schools in the world which
offers scholarships to all 160
students it accepts each year.
After graduation, he plans to
be a composer in New York
City because of his yearning to
be in a big city.
Cumpston also has high
hopes for Brizendine but
says his future will depend
on which college he gets
into and what professional
music connections he
makes. Cumpston believes
Brizendine's passion, talent
and intelligence will take him
to where he wants to be.
"Taylor's gonna be the real
deal," Cumpston said.
One of Brizendine's
favorite things about music
is that it can be practiced in
so many different ways. He
says, for example, with a
painting you can either "look
at it, or paint it," music can be
written, played, listened to,
conducted, etc. He appreciates
individuality in music, but
also thinks music theory is
important. Another favorite is
the constant improvement he
experiences.
"When it comes to music,
there's nothing I like more
than learning new things and
improving what I've done,"
Brizendine said.
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