GHS sophomore already playing clarinet with best in the country

GILMANTON — Danielle Janos was in fourth grade here when she first got her hands on a clarinet. "I really liked the sound, I thought it was pretty, I just had to play it," she recalled. She's now a sophomore at Gilford High School and is head over heals for music. Music has returned the love, affording her opportunities as a freshmen that only the very best high school musicians will experience by the time they graduate.

Last year, Janos successfully auditioned to play in the all-state band festival, the All-New England Band Festival and, the jewel in her young crown, the All-National Band Festival, held in Washington, D. C. and which gave her the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Performing Arts Center.

Her freshmen year was also the one during which Janos said she began to realize her potential as a young musician. "Before, I was self-taught," she said, but after her eighth grade year, she began taking weekly lessons at the Concord Community Music School. Now, instead of practicing for 10 minutes a day playing whatever she felt like, Janos rehearses her sheet music and goes over her scales and arpeggios for up to two hours each day.

It's a lot of work, but it's a labor of love. "Music is really important to me, that's definitely what I want to go into for my career," she says.

That isn't idle talk – her actions back up her statement. In addition to participating in the high school band and taking lessons in Concord, Janos is preparing to perform in the pit band for the high school's production of "The Sound of Music," which opens on Friday and runs for two weekends. When she's not preparing for any of the above, she's rehearsing in preparation for November 19 audition for the All-State Festival and the All-New England Festival audition in early December. Janos would like to make a repeat appearance at the All-National Festival.

It would be a rare opportunity for even the most talented high school musicians to play in the All-National Festival, for which only 84 musicians are accepted for the concert band, including only 11 clarinets. Janos was selected to play fourth chair. Nearly all of the other musicians had just completed their senior year. "I took it as an honor," she said.

"I just want an opportunity to play," Janos added.

At the festivals, she's able to encounter new music, presented by new conductors and play alongside new musicians. Through it all, Janos seeks to gain new tricks of the trade, hear stories from the more experienced and improve. "You're always learning with music, you can never stop learning."

Unafraid to explore new areas of performance, Janos has recently found a knack for jazz and improvisation – "It came naturally" – and is thinking about trying out for a singing part in the next high school musical.

Looking beyond high school, Janos sees herself doing some composing, perhaps learning about recording production and most likely becoming involved in music education. Her underlying goal is to preserve music and pass on her passion for the art form. Music, she said, "Is about a connection you can't find anywhere else... I just really enjoy it, I just want to keep learning about it, keep getting better and sound the best that I can."

CAPTION for DANIELLE JANOS in AA:

Danielle Janos, a sophomore at Gilford High School, had the exceedingly rare honor this summer to participate in the All National Band Festival. She tries to make every opportunity for herself to perform and hopes to make her career in music. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)