Johnson High School senior Jake Glaser has big plans after graduation. In a few weeks, he'll travel the world with his clarinet alongside some of the top musicians in the country.
Jake has been accepted to the prestigious National Youth Orchestra (NYO), which is organized by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. He spent months preparing several complex pieces to record and submit for judgment. Now that he's made the cut and beat out some seriously tough competition, he'll travel to New York City this summer to rehearse before touring across Europe.
Jake first picked up the clarinet in sixth grade at Tex Hill Middle School. He remembers wanting to change instruments at one point, but Tex Hill Band Director, Kim Rosenberg, recognized his talent and encouraged him to stick with the clarinet. That's what Jake loves about music and North East ISD. It's a place where you're encouraged to pursue your talents.
"They really try to bring you up and let you be the best version of yourself. Band has been an opportunity for me to shine creatively. I'm kind of an imaginative person and I like emoting that on the clarinet. The band program creates an environment where people don't discourage you from being different."
The Fine Arts program at Johnson solidified Jake's talent and love for music. He was part of the Jaguar Marching Band his freshman and junior years, the latter being the year Johnson won the Texas UIL 6A State Marching Championship. Jake believes the program's success has much to do with the culture Band Director Jarrett Lipman has created.
"A huge part of that success is just the investment that he gives students, and also, he really cares about us a lot," said Jake. "Mr. Lipman takes the time to make sure that we develop properly as people and stay humble and continue working hard. I think that translates into results musically and academically."
The music community is a tight-knit one. Whether Jake is marching in the band or playing in the renowned Midwest Clinic in Chicago, he's surrounded by friends.
"I still have the same friends I've had since sixth grade. A huge part of that is just because the band program here is so friendly and so encouraging that we just have never fallen apart as a group."
Jake hopes to pursue music performance at Rice University this fall. Before then, he'll travel the world with the National Youth Orchestra representing Tex Hill, Johnson and NEISD.
