THE PENDULUM
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010 // PAGE 11
Ambassadors for American Music
Elon Jazz Ensemble complete European-Tour
Anna Johnson
Summer Editor
Two encores and a standing
ovation later, Jon Metzger was
proud of his students.
Metzger, associate professor
of music and director of the Elon
University Jazz Ensemble, led 22
students on a 10-day European
concert tour.
“There were so many
(highlights),” Metzger said.
“Playing for 5,000 at a festival
outside of The Hague. Playing
at the little white house was
another big highlight. And
the response at Denmark. Two
encores is a big deal and (the
students) deserved it because
they worked so hard and played
so well.”
The group left June 10
and visited The Netherlands,
Denmark and Germany. The
students performed at several
locations including the U.S.
Embassy in Germany, the
Darling Market in Schevenigen
and at the International School
of Hamburg.
“The bottom line is that the
entire trip was an awesome
experience,” sophomore John
Mullen said. “The places we saw,
where we performed and the
people we met were all extremely
enlightening. The best part
for me by far was being able to
meet and talk with other jazz
musicians who truly appreciate
the music.”
Mullen plays the drums in
the Jazz Ensemble and he said
he was grateful for the chance
to play abroad for those who
appreciated the style of music.
“My only regret is that the
styles of jazz, swing and big
band are more appreciated
around the world than they are
here in the U.S.,” he said.
Plans for the trip began in
the winter and preparation
continued throughout the
spring.
“There was a lot of hard
work and planning," Metzger
said. “They rehearsed two
days a week so there was a
lot involved. But we had an
outstanding group that came
together so well and worked
so hard.”
Before the group left for
Europe, the students traveled
to local middle and high
schools to perform and give
improvisation workshops.
“These run-outs were a
great experience because
we got to practice for our
tour while also doing a great
service for the students,”
senior Kaitlyn Fay said. “Not
every middle and high school
student gets to hear a great
college jazz ensemble play for
free.”
Visiting the local schools
were part of the service
learning aspect of the trip,
Metzger said.
“Our students loved it,” he
said. “I think it was a great
opportunity for them to see
how far they have come since
their high school years.”
It was through several
bake sales, a car wash and
donations, Fay said, they
where able to raise funds for
the trip. The tour cost each
student a little under $3,000
and the students where able to
raise $20,000 of the $80,000
needed for the trip.
The band had to play under
a variety of circumstances, Fay
said, but there was nothing
she would change about the
trip.
“The tour was an incredibly
educational experience — in
being an ambassador and in
being a traveling musician,"
she said. Metzger agreed.
“When European audiences
see this is what American
students are like they see
great ambassadors for our
program, for our university
and also American jazz
music,” he said. “They
handled themselves really
well.”
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PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Top: The Elon University Jazz Ensemble traveled to three
countries including The Netherlands. The group played for
more than 5,000 Jazz fans at the Darling Market.
Bottom Left: Sophomore John Mullen, drummer, meets with
a jazz student at an improvisation workshop at the Roskilde
Music School near Copenhagen. The students traveled to
various music schools for similar workshops while abroad.
Bottom Right: The Jazz Ensemble were featured in the
Roskilde Jazz Days Festival near Copenhagen. While jazz was
the theme of the trip the group also performed classical music.
Burlington native headed to Highland Games Championship
Math teacher chosen to compete in largest tournament in North America
Local math teacher Wes Kiser prepares for the Amateur World Highland Champion Games in Minneapolis, Minn.
Anna Johnson
Summer Editor
For one local high school math teacher, it’s time to
grab the kilt.
Wes Kiser, 24, may be the only Alamance County
resident to compete in the Highland Games, but he’s
one of the best amateur competitors in the country.
In August, Kiser will pack his bags for Minneapolis,
Minn, to try his luck in the Amateur World Champion
Games.
“I’m looking
forward to (the
games),” Kiser
said. “I’ll face
some real tough
competition 1
haven’t seen in a
while. There are
only a couple of
games where I
have real close
competition.”
The idea of
competing in
the Highland
Games was first
introduced to
Kiser while he was
in college. He was
on Appalachian
State University’s
track and field
team where he
threw shot put,
and his coach
mentioned the
games.
That was four years ago, and Kiser has been hooked
ever since.
“It is fun to compete,” he said. “It’s one of the few
games you can show up and even if someone is not as
good as you, everyone is helping each other out.”
The games don’t take away from his teaching duties
or his commitment as a football coach at Bartlett
Yancey High School. The Highland Games, he said, is
one of the few sports where an athlete could still have
a normal life.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
“People always ask, ‘You throw the telephone pole?’”
he said. “My students always want to see the kilt."
Some of his students were able to watch him
compete at the Grandfather Mountain games. His
parents and his trainer. Matt Ledbetter, also often
attend the games.
“I’ll tell you this,” Ledbetter said. “It was exciting
to know that 1 work with the No. I competitor. He just
blows people away.”
The crowds often have their favorites, Ledbetter
said, but Kiser tends to capture their attention when
he competes.
“Wes gets up there and throws 30 feet farther than
the No. 1 guy,” he said. “The crowd’s like, ‘Whoa,’ and
they go crazy.”
Regardless if Kiser is in the on or off season, his
training schedule is intense. Wes trains four days
out of the week for several hours. Ledbetter mixes
up the routine by using traditional weight exercising
and strong man activities. Some of t+iese strong man
activities include tire flips and heavy medicine ball
throwing.
“He’ll do well (in the championship),” Ledbetter
said. “He’ll get pushed, and then he’ll dominate.”
As a trainer, he said, it was his job to help Kiser
reach his full potential and help flip the switch that
makes him a stronger competitor.
“I want to have a real good game day," Kiser said.
“If I can have a decent game and place in the top three,
that will be great. If I win I’ll be ecstatic."
No matter what the outcome, Ledbetter said he’ll be
proud of Kiser.
“His character is probably the best thing about him,”
he said. “To be 6 (feet) 2 (inches) and 290 (pounds), he’s
one of the nicest guys. And as far as work ethic, he’s
the kind of guy football coaches say they wish they had
‘10 or 11 just like him.’”