Vaughn Haynes Shows his Talents at Michigan Music Conference

News
By Sara Jex
Husky Herald Reporter

  Vaughn Haynes (‘18), an accomplished musician at Port Huron Northern High School, has been to selected to perform his own musical composition at the Michigan Music Conference (MMC) this winter. He will be performing with an ensemble of his choosing to show off his piece to a prestigious audience of professionals and students.

 Musical composition requires someone who is naturally gifted and is willing to invest a lot of time and effort into a goal. The MMC carefully reviews each arrangement that is submitted and chooses only the best young composers to perform at the conference.

  This challenge didn’t seem to phase the baritone saxophone and tenor drum player.

  By using online tools that allowed him to hear how the parts he wrote for each instrument fit together, Haynes was able to differentiate between what rhythms sounded correct in the arrangement and which ones did not. “If it sounds good, then I put it in,” Haynes said.

 Though he had been piecing together the composition since for weeks prior, the selection date only allowed for two months of  practice. “I submitted my piece in October and got selected in December,” Haynes said.       

  The Michigan Music Conference will be held Thursday, January 21st to Saturday, January 23rd, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  “We have been having practices two times a week, and I have been working at it on my own at home” said Jasmine Bryce (‘17), a snare drum player for Vaughn’s piece. The ensemble rehearses as a full group as well as in specific sections, which includes various percussion instruments.  

  Bryce was able to perform at the MMC last year, with a different group of students from Port Huron Northern. “It is a huge thing where there are booths from different music companies,” Bryce said about her past experiences.

  Another experienced percussionist was asked to join Haynes’ ensemble. Noehl Bingham (‘17), upon being asked of why she decided to join the group, said “[Vaughn] asked me and I have performed at the conference before, so I was excited to participate again.”

  Last Thanksgiving, Haynes was also selected to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. He played his marching band instrument, the tenor drum, in  Macy’s Great American Marching Band.

  Hayne’s achievements show just how much hard work can pay off.