Newspapers / Brevard College Student Newspaper / Feb. 17, 1988, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page 4 The Clarion February 17, 1988 Benny Gandy -- a most unusual BC music student by Heather Conrad A whir of notes and a jazzy run of the ‘G’ scale ascends from the cafeteria piano. Heads begin to nod with the beat and a smile or two emerge from usually solemn lips. For a word is uttered, yet Benny Gandy, a music major from Columbia, S.C., has fulfilled his objective. Not a word is uttered, yet Benny Gandy, Gandy brings to the campus a playing con jured from within with a style that is im peccably honest and heartfelt. Since age 4, Gandy’s drive to master the keyboard has run deep. Gandy emerged from a musical family, where his grand father first learned the piano. Benny said, “All of my grandfather’s sons played the piano, but his youngest son would play with me. He was a year older, and we would sit for hours, playing the ‘Boogie Woogie’ over and over again.” Throughout most of his childhood and teenage years, Gandy and his uncle continued to practice, beating out TV tunes on the keys. Gandy’s sixth grade year opened new doors toward his piano playing. Gandy started clarinet lessons, and continued to play other instruments in the years follow ing. Through his instrument lessons, Gandy learned to read notes, which helped him to decipher his father’s piano books. Gandy said, “My father bought the books, but could never understand them. Now 1 coulo. " A milestone reached, Gandy grew confident in the next steps to follow. He continued to practice. “I’d practice and practice until I could come upon something that sounded right”, said Gan dy. “I would then look at it, and think if I could get it once, I could get it again and go from there.” The church became another outlet for Gandy’s playing. “We grew up in the church,” Benny said. “I would practice a hymn I had picked upon. Later, during a service. I’d be able to accompany Dad, who would always play the organ.” Gandy says it was pretty simple to ‘pick up’ on a hymn and play in the church because of the gospel style music. There’s really no set key to play, so just by playing the hymn, the piano player could suc cessfully accompany the choir’s unpredic table range and flow of vocals. Gandy still struggles with sight reading, and still continues to play mostly by ear. Here at Brevard, Gandy is as hungry to learn as ever. From drilling scales to hours of sight reading and practice, Gandy is determined to be a “Knight” of the keyboards. “I’ve found that my playing makes peo ple happy, and I love to do that,” Gandy said. He grins. “I want to tickle their ears, and give to people a gift they can always feel and enjoy,” he said. Gandy hopes to continue his education at Winthrop College, and eventually earn a doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin. Sharing his natural gift for jazz, BC pianoman Benny Gandy leads a seminar recently at Brevard Middle School. (BC photo bv Jock Lauterer) ; ijyiiiiiiin.1 * iill mnri'l^fhT ^''^yonsj Dispelling the February Blah’s? Whatever it was, the “Brevard College Farm” Wh S f f the computer science classroom took a lot of work and represented the “talents” of a X„, Jill b“ (BC n^ws bureau BC students win prizes during Phon-a-thon by Sara Booker CASH prizes and gifts were awarded to students who volunteered their evening time to participate in the 1988 phone-a-thon for prospective students. Over the past few weeks, volunteer students were responsible for personally notifying prospective students for the Feb. 13th visitation day as well as providing any additional information regarding ques tions they may have about the school. Prizes and gifts were not the only way students benefitted from participating in the phone-a-thon. Since phone-a-thon par ticipation is considered a form of com munity service, students with disciplinary points were allowed to work off their points through hourly participation, while at the same time enjoying free refreshments. The 1988 phone-a-thon was held four nights a week from 6:30 to 9:30 in the con ference room in the Beam Administration Building.
Brevard College Student Newspaper
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Feb. 17, 1988, edition 1
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