Support Buzz's Musical Journey at Interlochen
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BUZZ IS GOING TO INTERLOCHEN!!!
Buzz was accepted to the Interlochen Arts Academy as a high school freshman for the 2025/2026 academic year. He will be a composition major with horn as his primary instrument. He was awarded a substantial scholarship, but we could really use some help to cover the remaining $12,500 balance. We are hoping to raise $2000 to help offset costs, and any additional funds could be used to cover the costs of a new performance-quality horn (approximately $6000) and an Apple laptop required by the Academy for all students (approximately $1000 with all of the bells and whistles).
About Buzz! He was born in Chicago and moved to Indiana when he was only 3 months old. He was always deeply moved by music, even as a small toddler and baby. He once wept in my arms as I sang the Salce from Otello by Verdi in our living room. He was obsessed with Mambo from the age of 2-4, and couldn't go to sleep without playing his favorite CD by Perez Prado! When he was 4, we moved to Canada where I taught music at the Algoma Conservatory of Music. Buzz spent a lot of time out in the hallway while I was teaching lessons, surrounded by the amazing cacophony of sounds coming from all of the different studios in the building. He took guitar and choir lessons there and was, to my knowledge, the only kid who could get a sound out of the giant sousaphone on display by the front door. When he was 8, we moved back to Indiana after I finished treatments for breast cancer. Cancer was an unexpected and traumatic blip in the trajectory of our lives, but ultimately we remained strong and resilient! Buzz started trumpet lessons in Indiana, and in 6th grade, he joined the band program at Kesling Intermediate School and started playing the French horn.
In 7th grade, with the support and encouragement of the amazing band teachers at LaPorte Middle School, he became very passionate about band and started to arrange and compose music for band and wind ensembles for fun. He took part in any and every musical opportunity presented to him: Summer Jazz Workshop at Indiana University, High School Marching Band, Honors Band, Allstate Band, DCI INpact Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, and ISSMA solos and ensembles. Buzz started a jazz combo at his school with the help of his teachers Miss Gamble and Mrs. Sullivan. He continues to run rehearsals for his jazz combo and has signed the combo up for a couple of upcoming performances.
Attached are some examples of his compositions and performances:
Tempest Seas: This piece is a full band piece inspired by a rough journey at sea:
Through Shifting Light: This piece is a French horn solo with piano accompaniment meant to be an abstract representation of existential thought:
Busby's Jazz Combo will be recording a piece he wrote titled The Walk Home some time soon. It will be uploaded to his personal youtube channel when it’s ready:
Here is an improvised solo on trumpet from one of Buzz's recent performances with the Laporte Middle School Jazz Band:
Here is a video of Buzz performing with the Indiana Junior Allstate Band:
Thank you for your support and we look forward to sharing more of Buzz's musical accomplishments and adventures with you soon!!!
Organizer
Sarah Gartshore
Organizer
LaPorte, IN