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Top of the class

Making a musical mark

Bryn Dunn performs as part of the Florida Music Educators Association's All-State Band.

By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE
Published January 19, 2006

INVERNESS - Inverness Middle School eighth-grader Bryn Dunn, 13, picked up a euphonium in sixth grade and gave it a try. It turned out to be a good choice, as evidenced by Bryn's selection to be part of the Florida Music Educators Association's All-State Band.

Bryn performed with young musicians from throughout the state recently in Tampa at the association's clinic conference and all-state concert.

She is not the only member of her family who has had that honor: Bryn's 10th-grade sister, Carly, 15, also was in the All-State Band when she was in middle school. Carly is in the Citrus High School Marching Band and plays bass clarinet.

Inverness Middle School band director Barbara Dover recommended both girls for the honor. She even had the girls' mother in in her chorus class years ago.

Bryn, Dover said, "is just an outstanding student all around." She said she excels on her instrument and is a pleasure in class, always on task and ready to go the extra mile.

Bryn didn't expect to be chosen for the honor, but the news pleased her."I was surprised," she said. "I was happy. I wanted to experience the same thing my sister did."

Carly was glad for her sister. "I felt really happy for her," Carly said. "She worked really hard, and I think she deserved it."

Carly said she also worked hard for the opportunity. She had heard about it, wanted to go and worked for her teacher's recommendation.

The students performed at the Tampa Convention Center, and practiced music they had received ahead of time at their hotel. They performed five pieces, including the The Star-Spangled Banner and Malaguena. "It was pretty fun," Bryn said. "It was overwhelming. There were so many people. It was tiring, because we had to wake up really early."

Bryn plans to follow in her sister's footsteps and join the band at Citrus High. She is also starting to learn the trombone so she can have a chance to join the school's swing band. Both girls plan to continue in music as a hobby, but neither is considering it as a career.

Bryn and Carly are the daughters of Geoff Dunn of Floral City and Becky Saslo of Inverness and the stepdaughters of Gary Saslo. Their stepbrother, Justin Saslo, is a senior at Citrus High, and their half-brother, J.J. Saslo, 6, attends Inverness Primary School.

"He has a little drum set," Bryn said.

[Last modified January 19, 2006, 01:48:21]