Name: John Broberg
Age: 13
School: Galvin Middle School
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Key to Awesomeness: Love and dedication for his craft.
Accomplishments: Entering eighth grade at the Galvin this fall, John Broberg “likes sound and what you can do with it.”
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Hearing a saxophonist play the theme to The Simpsons at a school performance captured the then fourth grader’s attention, and began his own musical journey.
Spending two weeks in July at the was a great experience–meeting different musicians, including high schoolers as well as band players his own age.
Improv allows him to go with his own flow, rather than play a piece the way someone else wants it to be; he likes making his own tempo.
“It is not easy when you first start [improvising],” he said, “as you go along, you get better results.”
A highlight for Broberg this summer was B-Flat Blues, the collaborative improvisational piece between strings and the band, at the July 28 performance at Canton High School. This culminated the summer music experience.
“I have been on stage more times than I can remember,” he said. “Walking out on stage does not make me nervous.”
Music is not just about performing though.
“Mr. Thomas [Brian Thomas, Director of Bands at Canton High School] showed me how to make practicing more fun.” Practicing notes, learning new fingerings, and changing up the tempo while doing scales are just a few things Broberg practiced.
“Counselors will work with you one-on-one…it is just a heckuva a good time,” the youngster said.
Broberg described as something that got him going, something he got excited about doing. “I would definitely recommend it to all band members,” he said.
Broberg plays hockey and baseball for Canton, and enjoys vacationing in Maine and New Hampshire with his grandparents in the summer.
