Dean Beckford
Talent abounds at GHS. Surrounded by a tradition of excellence, students are no strangers to praise and recognition; however, recently, one outstanding band student managed to break through regional boundaries and receive acknowledgement on a national scale.
Jaske Goff, a GHS senior and percussion leader in the Varsity Band, was recently awarded the honor of playing in the 2013 All-American Marching Band, a marching ensemble comprised of elite instrumentalists spanning the country. On January 8, 2014, Jaske and hundreds of other players will perform at the All-American Football Game.
Cool, collected, and confident, Jaske, an IB student and accomplished musician, received recognition from the school. As well, the United States Army personally sent an envoy of three servicemen, coordinating with the GHS production department to stage a ceremony celebrating Goff’s national distinction. Goff strutted with swagger up to the wooden podium, delivering a thank-you speech that appeared to be prepared for the Grammy’s rather than a high school auditorium. Flaunting a humble, confident demeanor, Goff then exhilarated everyone present with the thunderous routine he used to try out, “Tornado.”
In private, Jaske admits that journey extends further back than his high school career. Initially, he endured through thousands of hours of practice and personal dedication before reaching where he is now.
“I started off on snare drum when I was 5. My first teacher was my dad, who played marching snare in high school, so he taught me to play snare, and I just moved on to other things after that,” Goff explained.
Goff’s personal curiosity led him to proficiency himself in piano, guitar, alto saxophone, and vocal performance. Pulling inspiration from relatives and friends, he pushed his musical boundaries and developed himself into a multi-instrumentalist.
“My grandma taught me how to play piano…I learned how to play guitar from listening to a bunch of 80s rock music, and in middle school, I played alto saxophone and I still do…I get it from my mother because my dad can’t do it,” added Goff.
Goff’s high school career has been extremely successful. From his four straight All-State musical invitations to his 2013 summer acceptance to a music conservatory camp at Julliard, this high-schooler has made himself known on a national level.
Describing his initial reaction to the news as jubilation, Goff was understandably excited.
“But probably my dad was more excited than I was. Same thing with Julliard, but nobody was more excited than my dad. He’d keep asking me, ’Has the news come yet? Has the news come yet’ and I’d say, ’No dad, chill it’ll come’,” Goff said.
While Goff clearly has achieved on a local and national level, Goff feels he is no different than anyone else.
“Advice? Man, you talk to me like I’ve made it or something…Just keep working at it, if you really want to do it, just do it. I’ve made my fair share of excuses and I still make excuses today, and nobody’s perfect. If you really want to pursue that, you can’t go back in time and do it again, but you can work hard and be more focused in your future,” said Goff.
Talent abounds at GHS. Surrounded by a tradition of excellence, students are no strangers to praise and recognition; however, recently, one outstanding band student managed to break through regional boundaries and receive acknowledgement on a national scale.
Jaske Goff, a GHS senior and percussion leader in the Varsity Band, was recently awarded the honor of playing in the 2013 All-American Marching Band, a marching ensemble comprised of elite instrumentalists spanning the country. On January 8, 2014, Jaske and hundreds of other players will perform at the All-American Football Game.
Cool, collected, and confident, Jaske, an IB student and accomplished musician, received recognition from the school. As well, the United States Army personally sent an envoy of three servicemen, coordinating with the GHS production department to stage a ceremony celebrating Goff’s national distinction. Goff strutted with swagger up to the wooden podium, delivering a thank-you speech that appeared to be prepared for the Grammy’s rather than a high school auditorium. Flaunting a humble, confident demeanor, Goff then exhilarated everyone present with the thunderous routine he used to try out, “Tornado.”
In private, Jaske admits that journey extends further back than his high school career. Initially, he endured through thousands of hours of practice and personal dedication before reaching where he is now.
“I started off on snare drum when I was 5. My first teacher was my dad, who played marching snare in high school, so he taught me to play snare, and I just moved on to other things after that,” Goff explained.
Goff’s personal curiosity led him to proficiency himself in piano, guitar, alto saxophone, and vocal performance. Pulling inspiration from relatives and friends, he pushed his musical boundaries and developed himself into a multi-instrumentalist.
“My grandma taught me how to play piano…I learned how to play guitar from listening to a bunch of 80s rock music, and in middle school, I played alto saxophone and I still do…I get it from my mother because my dad can’t do it,” added Goff.
Goff’s high school career has been extremely successful. From his four straight All-State musical invitations to his 2013 summer acceptance to a music conservatory camp at Julliard, this high-schooler has made himself known on a national level.
Describing his initial reaction to the news as jubilation, Goff was understandably excited.
“But probably my dad was more excited than I was. Same thing with Julliard, but nobody was more excited than my dad. He’d keep asking me, ’Has the news come yet? Has the news come yet’ and I’d say, ’No dad, chill it’ll come’,” Goff said.
While Goff clearly has achieved on a local and national level, Goff feels he is no different than anyone else.
“Advice? Man, you talk to me like I’ve made it or something…Just keep working at it, if you really want to do it, just do it. I’ve made my fair share of excuses and I still make excuses today, and nobody’s perfect. If you really want to pursue that, you can’t go back in time and do it again, but you can work hard and be more focused in your future,” said Goff.