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Music and
composition and all that jazz
CORDOVA
By John Semien
semien@gomemphis.com
May 15, 2003
Chris Lane doesn't
remember anything about his first piano recital, at age 3, except the
refreshments they served afterward.
''I remember the stage and I remember there
was a big piano and I remember the punch was really good,'' Lane said last
week.
''He wasn't into the piano as much as he
was into performing,'' said his mother, Kim Lane. ''That was his first
public performance and he really did eat it up.''
Now 18, Lane is still something of a
one-man show, preferring to do the arrangements as well as play multiple
instruments on music compositions.
The Cordova High School senior has eight
original compositions featured on a CD released by the Cordova High Jazz
Orchestra in February.
Lane arranged many of the songs in
Kaleidoscope, a musical performed last week by ENCORE!, the Cordova High
theater group.
Lane also has been hired to write the
musical arrangements for the Cordova High marching band next year.
Lane is bound for the jazz program at the
University of North Texas next fall, where he will follow his passion for
music composition.
''They have the number one jazz program in
the country,'' Lane said. ''It's where everybody says I should go.
''One day I'd like to compose and direct
(music) and (write music) score for films, that would be cool."
In addition to the piano, Lane said he
started playing the trumpet at age 13 and has since learned to play the tuba
and other brass instruments as well as the bass and acoustic guitar and
drums.
He also is experimenting with the
accordion.
''We don't have a dining room, we have a
music room,'' said Kim Lane.
Lane said he is a member of several musical
groups, including the Java Jazz Orchestra, a group he performs with
occasionally.
''When we get a gig, we get together,'' he
said.
Lane said he loves the work of many jazz
musicians but is especially fascinated by the energy of drummer Buddy Rich.
Kimberly Hass, director of bands at Cordova
High, said Lane shows a lot of maturity in his composition skills.
''His leadership and determination is
unparalleled by his classmates,'' Hass said. ''We'd like to add composition
classes here but right now we can't afford those things in the fine arts.
''But we try to give our students a chance
to learn by doing."
- John Semien: 529-6524
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