GT Player of the Month: April

In Greek mythology, Hera, the Queen of Heaven, hatched a plan to test the mettle of a young would-be hero named, Jason. As our hero was traveling at the time, Hera made sure that he would encounter a raging river, where he would have a choice to make.

He could take the easy way out and go to a place where fording the river was not so dangerous or he could carry an old hag (Hera in disguise) across the raging torrent. What did our hero do? He took the hard the hard way, of course, ferrying Hera across the river on his back to the other side and later going on to cement his place in Greek lore with more perilous quests, further testing his courage and determination.

It is with regard to Jason’s characteristic determination that I draw a parallel between him and the player of the month for April. This student embodies both determination and the kind of grit necessary to make it as not just a GT Player of the Month, but as a guitarist in the general sense.

Having been a student here for a year and a half, he’s shown not just tremendous growth for this month but over the entire time he’s been a GT member. His musical tastes are eclectic and he has taken on and completed many diverse music projects. He isn’t afraid of new challenges and understands that you don’t get something for nothing. To be a proficient player, you’ve got to pay a price and doing so will mean personal sacrifices in time, expended energy, money, and (most surprisingly of all) pain. It takes a commitment where failure isn’t an option. Such a commitment will cost you, but will pay dividends which far outweigh the investment you make as a player. The student I speak of has exactly this kind of tenacious commitment to learn and excel with the guitar.

So, it gives me the utmost pleasure to name Jon Corum as the GT Player of the Month for April. Jon will be awarded a new set of guitar strings and a string-winder, courtesy of Conrad Music Service. He is also, now, eligible to win the GT Player of the Year Award for 2010. The winner of this award will receive a grand prize yet to be announced, have honorable mention on the GT Blog, and a place of honor on the GT website for the entire year.

Congratulations Jon!

To all GT students, thank you for your continued hard work and dedication.