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Photo courtesy of Sebastian Goldstein (12-1)
As co-founder and co-president of the statistically most popular club in the school, the Howard Shore Club, you must have many duties. What is the aim of this club, and how do you intend to work towards making it a reality?
Well, you see Lucas, this isn’t as easy a question as it would seem. On the surface, our mission is to understand the musical works of the illustrious Howard Shore and how they impact the films he writes them for. But much deeper, Howard Shore is able to dissect the mystery of life and the human condition throughout his pieces, and as a club we seek to dive into his mind to understand at least a fraction of what he gives to us. Beyond that, I would just like to ignite a spark in the memories of the club members to pursue a knowledge of music to a degree similar to which I’ve committed myself and I would imagine you’ve committed yourself.
As conductor and director of the high school orchestra, as well as first chair guitarist in the All-City Jazz Band, you evidently have experience being in high places during your musical career. How have these specific experiences changed you as a musician, and why is music so important to you?
Well, it is my firm belief that there is no better medium to express human emotions than through music. When I was asked to helm the school’s orchestra I knew what a responsibility it would be, but I was overjoyed that I would be able to share the gift of music with the orchestra’s members and its listeners.
As assistant high school dean, you’ve had to discipline many students in the building, as well as take the reins of school management when necessary. Some people don’t realize it, but there are times when you are holding the building together with your own two hands. What would your advice to students feeling overwhelmed with their own heavy workload be?
I suppose the advice I would give for success in overwhelming situations is to work smarter and not harder. I know people who put triple the time that I do into some projects, and we’ll both end with the same grade. It’s really not about how long you work, it’s how smart. I am an incredibly focused worker and can strike a balance between work and fun. You just have to remember, especially at a school like this, that your academics really shouldn’t consume your life, and your mental health would be much better if you would allow yourself to have some fun sometimes.
Word around the school is that you are one of the leading experts in the world on obscure geo-political events such as the Croatian Exchange. Why do you think Francis von Boyst was just in his handling of the situation in his country?
We would have to first establish the premise of justice to correctly answer this question. In short, rather, Francis von Boyst really did not mishandle Croatia’s funds in 1944, that would probably fall more on the Secretary of the Treasury, Frederick Reinholder. But it really wasn’t about the economy; it was about foreign relations. Secretary of State Sicilio Belichick really dealt with that situation inappropriately. Croatia was moving towards communism, so when Markus Vilidic came to Croatia from the USSR on a diplomatic mission, it really wasn’t on von Boyst. It was on Belichick that Ludwig Feurbach was able to get through their front lines and wreak havoc on the people. The tragedy that occured in Croatia in 1944 perhaps could not have been completely prevented, but it could have at least been delayed had Ludwig Feurbach’s sneaky tactics been promptly addressed by Belichick. This would’ve brought an early end to World War II, but these are just my thoughts on the matter.
How deep is your love, respect, and admiration for Howard Shore?
As deep as the stars are bright, as the sea is blue, and as the maestro himself is brilliant.
As captain of the soccer and basketball teams, you’re no stranger to leadership in athletics. What is your favorite memory from high school athletics, and what is your advice to those considering joining any of the sports teams at Masterman?
My favorite moment in my sports career was competing in the public league championship, twice actually. And as a senior captain, we were able to bring home the championship to Masterman for the first time in school history. My favorite moment there was watching my co-captain, Benjamin Steketee, the MVP of this league, score the game winning goal. This was the most important goal in Masterman history, perhaps the most important moment in the history of Masterman sports, to send the soccer team home with the trophy. As for advice to those considering joining the sports teams at Masterman, I’d say just go ahead and do it. I think the camaraderie on every team I’ve been a part of is worth joining the team. Developing a love for the sport is very important and brings a lot of people together, so I would suggest that everyone join a sports team if they can.
What is your favorite movie?
I have a lot of favorite movies. Among them, probably Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, The Godfather parts 1 and 2, The Departed, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Yeah, those are all good.
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