Beloit Memorial & Essentially Ellington Alum
That is among the many lessons learned by jazz bassist Crystal Rebone who graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 2011 and has been proving Ellington’s words true ever since in various ways.
As a member of the first BMHS Jazz Band invited to the premiere Essentially Ellington Festival held each spring at New York’s Lincoln Center, Crystal knows well how mastery is not only possible but can lead to great things – the kind of mastery that is possible to achieve as a Beloit student.
After graduating from Beloit, Crystal went to Western Illinois University to study music as the accomplished jazz bassist she became at BMHS. Now, after graduating Magna Cum Laudi, she is on to the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana to pursue a Masters in Jazz Performance and become further prepared to make music and jazz a permanent part of her life.
All of this has played out because of the strong music education at Beloit schools, says Crystal’s mother Jane, whose son Joshua, Class of 2015, also came away from BMHS with what she says were outstanding performing arts experiences.
Crystal Rebone | Western Illinois University Bassist
Arts Education
According to Jane, Beloit Memorial High School Band Program Director Chris Behrens has taken jazz studies there to a new height with participation in Essentially Ellington several times since the band’s debut with Crystal.
“Crystal always had a love of music,” says Jane. “She started violin in fourth grade at Gaston. After two months, she did want to quit. But I told her what I was taught as a child: ‘If you start something, you need to do it for a year. Then, if you want, you can quit. But if you make a commitment, you cannot quit.
“Very soon after that, her teacher, Kim Perez, gave her ‘Ode to Joy,’ and she was hooked. She stayed with violin through sixth grade. Then, in junior high at McNeel, they were short of cello players. So she started cello. Crystal just has natural gift for strings. And she played cello all though to high school.
“Sophomore year, the high school jazz band did not have a bass player. A friend told her about this and she went in and auditioned. Mr. Behrens asked her how long she had been playing bass. She told him she really didn’t play bass. But that all changed.
“From there, it was blood, sweat and tears. Literally. Her fingers would bleed because she practiced so much. She would stress over practicing. And she would cry because she was afraid she wasn’t good enough.”
But then came the invitation for the jazz band to play at Essentially Ellington and all doubts faded for Crystal. “This just opened mega doors for Crystal,” Jane says, noting that her daughter applied to two colleges with strong jazz programs, Western Illinois and Northern Illinois.
A Strong Foundation
During her four years at WIU, Crystal held the position of top jazz bass player, Jane says, noting that this brought many additional learning opportunities. In her sophomore year at WIU, Crystal left her cello behind, and started playing classical bass, and was the principal bassist for classical as well. Outside of the classroom, Crystal had opportunities to play with many Grammy award-winning musicians, went on tour to Brazil, and other experiences.
“Beloit prepares students for these opportunities,” Jane emphasizes, noting that Crystal was also well prepared in all academic areas, as her Magna Cum Laudi status proves, she says.
While at Beloit Memorial, Crystal began giving private lessons through Voight’s in Beloit. At WIU, Crystal continued teaching cello and bass privately, as well as playing in a combo regularly. Both of these aspects of music are on her mind for the future as she begins her Masters’ program, for which she received a tuition waiver.
“I think one of her goals will be to teach privately, one-on-one,” says Jane. I think she will also want to play professionally. Gigging as much as possible and playing in symphonies. We will see.
For now, she says, one thing is certain. “Teachers at Beloit Memorial responded to both my children in terms of their interest in music. I love the school district for really supporting arts programs. Both children were in groups – the jazz band for Crystal and choir for my son – that were recognized by the Beloit City Council.”
And mostly, Jane says, Crystal and Josh were encouraged to discover things they love and that they can continue to build on the strong foundation they received at Beloit Memorial.
Crystal’s Senior Recital | Western Illinois University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J85LJS_oqQE
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