Chronicle Profile
She plays in men
By IRENE PERRY
Chronicle Staff Writer
The memory of Michelene Gentry's late father ?
still burns bright and serves as an inspiration for
the 18-year-old musician studying at the N.C.
School of the Arts.
When she was four years old. Gentrv'c father
taught her the basic keys on the piano. At the age
of five, she starte^l taking piano lessons.
Today, Gentry not only is a proficient pianist,
but an excellent harpist, as well.
"If I can see myself doing or obtaining
something, / can achieve it. It may be
take a dot of hard work, but I know it
can be done."
-- Michelene Gentry
When she received permission t<? audition for
the School of the Arts here, Gentry initially
wanted to play both instruments, but she hadn't
perfected her piano selection. And, she was informed,
there would be many other students
auditioning for the piano, but not as many for
the harp. She says the choice was obvious.
"I played the harp for the teacher," she says,
plus, 1 had io take a basic rrtusician's exam.
Everything was positive. She (the teacher) liked
my personality and my playing and I was ac
cepted."
Gentry auditioned in May and was accepted
into the school in late summer. She is a long way
from her hometown of Detroit, Mich., but says
that isn't a problem, She has relatives here who
are understanding and support her ambition to
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Two-year old Jarett Croumpton gets a look at W
official Christmas tree. He's held by his grandi
Cunningham. Andrew Thomas looks'on. The cere
last Friday night in Winston Square (photo by Ji
People On The Move
Ray getspromoi
Jeff A. Ray has been named an membership i
assistant vice president for First Winston-Salem
Citizens Bank in Winston-Salem. Commerce.
He is manager of the Healy Drive He and his \
branch. Ray, live in Wir
The North Wilkesboro native Lawanda Add
joined the bank in 1980 and has Bennett Collegi
completed the management train- recognized fc
ing program. He earned a academic achie>
bachelor's degree in economics named to the D<
from Appalachian State Univer- A health sclei
sity. 0 t?e daughter of
Ray has been active in a dison of 3655 Y
DST's plan Jabben
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The Winston-Salem Alumnae members of th
Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta discussed activit
Sorority Inc. will present its an- them as Jabberw
nual Jabberwock in March 1985. She then intrc
The contestants and their members who v>
parents recently were honored the contestants
with a pre-Jabberwock Tea at the ship efforts.
Delta Art Center to explain the The contests
meaning of the Jabberwock. parents are Miss
The Jabberwock has several daughter of Mr
purposes. First, there are scholar- ron; Miss C
ships for each contestant, with daughter of f
the girl raising the largest amount Wilbert Rice; M
of money through donations, daughter of Mr. j
ticket sales, ads and personal ef- Powell; Miss
forts being crowned "Miss Jab- daughter of Mr.
- berwock," and receiving the Rice; Miss T
largest scholarship to a four-year daughter of f
college or university of her Richard Tatum;
X choice. Perry, daughter
) A second purpose is to provide Clements; and
cultural enhancement for the Brown, daughtc
community and to the con- thanette Brown,
testants. Mrs. Helena T
The term Jabberwock of the local cha]
originated in Lewis Carroll's contestants and t
"Alice in Wonderland," and thanked them fo
means a night of pageantry and tion in Delta's m
beauty. program and she
Seleah Wyche, chairperson for port and best wia
the Jabberwock, introduced the testant as they v:
contestants and their parents to "Miss Jabberwo
lory of her dad
become a well-known harpist. She spends several
weeks at the homes of different relatives, who
also transport her to and from school ? for
which she says she's grateful.
She credits her love of music to her father,
who also introduced her brothers to music at a
young age.
"My father played the trumpet, the piano and
sang opera," says Gentry. "He had a teacher in
college who saw he was musically inclined and
she brought him a long way."
She says her father remains her idol and that
he was always into his music. "When 1 came
home from school, my father was always practicing,"
she says. "He was so dedicated, so truly
ucunaicu.
He passed that dedication for music along to
his daughter. While she was in high school, Gentry
says she was awakened at 6 a.m. so that she
could practice at the piano an hour before going
to school.
After school, she would practice for two and
half hours before she even started her
homework. *
"My father was always behind me to
practice," she says. "At first, I didn't like it and
I did it because I had to. I later started practicing
more, because then I really, truly enjoyed playing."
About five years ago, the long hours of practicing
the piano changed to long hours practicing
the harp.
It began when she enrolled in a piano class
during high school. Her music teacher discovered
Gentry was too advanced for the class and suggested
she enroll in harp classes.
"After I started harp classes," Gentry says, "I .
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Michelene Gentry: She credits her love
Parker). ' ^
realized I thoroughly enjoyed playing. 1 guess it
helps if you are musically inclined, but I learned s<
a lot as I went along." al
Although her father wanted her to be a c<
talented pianist, she believes he still would be
proud of her as a harpist. ' tl
"I'm furthering myself in music," says Gen- g
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u y. u ne were living, 11 wouia maKe mm it
happy." * d
After her father died, Gentry never considered tl
giving up her music. But, she says, she did not
practice with as much fervor. . p
Yet, she says her mother often reminded her 1 A
that "You know your father would want you to tl
practice very hard."
You've got win
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icle, Thursday, December 13, 1984-Page A7
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Of music to her father (photo by James
r "My
mother is also an inspiration to me,"
tys Gentry. "In high school, my mother was
Iways there. She even took off from work to
3me to my concerts.
"A lot of my friends' parents were not for
tern going into music, because it is not a
uaranteed money-maker," she says. "However,
ty mother was behind me 100 percent. She never
isturbed me. She would always tell me, 'If
tat's what you want to do, do your best."'
Gentry says she's made tremendous imrovements
since attending the School of the
irts. Whereas in high school she could practice
le harp after school for only an hour, she can
Please see page A11
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