Veres to perform with All-American Band

Conductor's son, 18, plays clarinet at Foothills High

By Jamar Younger

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

The son of a renowned local musician will make his mark in January when he performs with a group of high school musicians from around the country during a nationally televised football game.

Daniel Veres, 18, whose father is conductor László Veres, was named to the inaugural U.S. Army All-American Marching Band and will perform with 90 other high school seniors in San Antonio, Texas, during the halftime show of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 5.

Veres, who attends Catalina Foothills High School, plays clarinet in the high school's marching band and is a drum major, or one of the directors for the band.

He was nominated for the All-American Marching Band by his high school band director, Renee Shane-Boyd.

Veres hesitated at first to accept the nomination, but changed his mind after he did some research, he said.

"I found out it was a huge football game on national television, and the marching band will probably get 20 seconds," he said. "When I thought about it, I said 'I'll want to do it even if it's five seconds.' "

The football game features the top 84 high school seniors in the country and the marching band is an extension of the football team, said Brian Prato, manager of the All-American Marching Band.

The 91 band members were chosen out of several hundred musicians who submitted applications and videos of their performances. The committee that chose the band members received applications from students in 36 states, Prato said.

It was logical to put the nation's top marching band musicians on the same field as the top football players, he said.

"We had tried different entertainment packages (for past football games) and decided a great extension was selecting the 91 musicians," he said. "For the marching band kids, it's a great validation of their achievement."

Veres is one of two All-American Band members from Arizona. Rob Cobo, a drummer from Glendale, will also travel to San Antonio. The All-American football team will feature two players from Hamilton High School in Chandler, Prato said.

Shane-Boyd said she nominated Veres because the All-American Marching Band was looking for outstanding clarinet players. She thought Veres fit that description.

"I thought of Daniel because he is one of the most outstanding musicians we've ever had," Shane-Boyd said. "He is a very high-level performer."

In addition to being named drum major, Veres has been selected for the All-State Band every year he's been in high school, she said.

Veres has received various other awards and took third place in the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra Solo/Scholarship competition in 2006.

Representatives from the U.S. Army hosted a special assembly for Veres almost three weeks ago at his high school to recognize him for his accomplishment.

In his speech, Veres said, "I thanked the band director and my parents, who started me in music."

Veres' father, who conducts the Arizona Symphonic Winds, the Tucson Pops Orchestra and the Foothills Phil, said the recognition is the result of his son's superior musicianship.

"He was highly recommended because he is an exceptional player at the high school level," László Veres said. "For him to be picked as an outstanding bandsman, it means a lot. I'm extremely proud of him."

Daniel's mother, Mary, also a clarinet player, agreed. "Everything he's done in music has led up to this moment."

It's an accomplishment not only for Daniel, but also for the rest of high school band, she said.

"It's a success for him and the band director. It's a success for the kids," she said. "Kids need to feel success in their lives, and it comes in all kinds of forms."

FOOTHILLS

● Contact reporter Jamar Younger at 434-4076 or jyounger @azstarnet.com.

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