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| Liz Johnson — Marching to the beat of her own drum |
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| Wednesday, 20 August 2008 | |
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Jennifer Larson Community Editor It’s unusual for most people to take to something very unfamiliar to them. And that’s what sets Liz Johnson apart from the rest of the pack. The 18-year-old was beating on a drum set from an early age. So, out of all the instruments she could have choose to pick up and play in 6th grade, Johnson went with an obscure string. “I didn’t know what the viola was so I wanted to try it,” she said. A year later, Johnson switched to the cello. Today, she’s well-versed in percussion instruments from the mallet keyboards to the vibraphone. Johnson is directing the Forest Lake Summer Music Camp, which is in its first year of existence. For five hours a day over a 10-day period from Aug. 11-22, youth have been able to develop their personal and performance skills as well as getting some training in leadership. The camp offers 50 hours of instruction with rotating classes in Music Composition, Cultural Influence in Music, Rhythm and Time Signatures, Mallet Technique, plus group lessons on four primary instruments – strings, brass, percussion, woodwinds and flutes. “I hope to expand and continue it” Johnson said. The culmination of the Forest Lake Summer Music Camp includes a marching percussion performance in the Minnesota State Fair parade at 2 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25. Participants of the camp will perform a street beat written by her brother, Zach, entitled “Rikochet II.” Johnson, a 2008 graduate of the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, is a very busy gal. She is the daughter of Phillip and Lisa Johnson. For the last two years, Liz has been pit captain for the Forest Lake Rangers Drumline, and is currently instructing the Blaine Marching Band front line this summer. Johnson is also a member of the Minnesota Brass. She also plays in the Forest Lake City Band. And if the school district hadn’t cut the competitive marching band at the FLHS in 2000 to devote more money to classroom instruction, Johnson would probably have been involved in that too. Camp Administrator Susan Edseth noted that Johnson has a lot of potential to see her goals come to fruition. Johnson’s list includes having more contact between the city band and drumline as well as the possibility of reinstating the marching band. There’s also talk of her taking on more responsibility with the city band, but that’s something down the road for Johnson. She plans to major in music at Augsburg College where Johnson is enrolled as a freshman this fall. Over the past month, much of her focus has been on the Forest Lake Summer Music Camp. It was open to youth of any level in the community. Not every participant even plays an instrument. Edseth said a vocalist signed up for camp. In less than two weeks, she said that every participant will play some sort of percussion instrument. “It’s my dream to put on a quality summer camp that would allow youth to become more proficient in music,” Edseth said Johnson told her. This year, the summer music camp was funded by the $155 tuition paid by each participant. Edseth said that local area businesses helped by offering financial assistance as well as promoting the camp. Johnson said that she is trying to instill in camp participants that persistence has rewards. Performing is the ultimate adrenaline rush, she said. “Stick it out until the first show and you’ll be hooked,” Johnson said. Social Bookmarking ...       |
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