Wasilla High School senior accepted into highly competitive music program at Central Washington University

WASILLA — Wasilla High School class of 2020 member Greg DeArmond successfully made it into his top pick for college, Central Washington University. But more importantly, he was able to secure one of five coveted seats into the school’s Jazz Studies program.

“It’s a little hard to get into and he got in which is fantastic,” WHS band director Jackie Johnson said. “I’m very excited for him. He plays beautifully.”

Johnson said that DeArmond and his family toured across the country to check out potential colleges. She said Central Washington is a highly sought after school for musicians, particularly those who play jazz.

Johnson said that it’s a bittersweet victory since this means he’s finally at the point of preparing to pack up for college and start his venture into adulthood. She said he was not only a great student and musician, but a well rounded and mature role model for others.

“He’s gonna be missed for sure. That was such a great, big sound and it’s definitely going to be missed; and such a leader in the group,” Johnson said.

DeArmond submitted recordings and attended live auctions and after review, he was accepted into the jazz program. He signed his official commitment last week.

“I worked hard enough to get a chance at it basically,” DeArmond said.

DeArmond plays the trumpet and he has a passion for jazz. He said the fact that he was able to secure that highly competitive seat was a tangible milestone assuring him he’s on the right path to becoming a professional trumpet player.

“I feel pretty relieved because I know that trumpeting is something I want to do,” DeArmond said.

Jazz is more mental than other genres, according to Johnson. She said that jazz musicians need to be able to improvise notes on the spot. DeArmond has done this and said that the feeling he gets when he zones into the moment is priceless.

“You lose track of where you are in the piece,” DeArmond said.

She said DeArmond is a sharp and dedicated student who dives right into the learning process. On top of that, he does the most important thing a musician can do, practice.

“He’s very smart and studies things very well so he really understands that kind of thing,” Johnson said. He’s so devoted. He practices for hours… That’s what you need… He’s ready for college for sure.”

DeArmond said securing the spot in the jazz program was more competitive than he anticipated, but he’s confident that he made the right decision. He said that he looks forward to furthering his education and immersing in an “environment that promotes learning new things.”

“It’s gonna be very exciting to see what happens,” DeArmond said.

DeArmond said that he wanted to thank all the music educators he’s had over the years. He said that he’s even considering pursuing a music education degree to pass on the knowledge he’s gained, feeling a sort of obligation to do so.

“It’s definitely one of the things that I think is important, to pay back into the system essentially. I’m taking all this knowledge from all these people and I’m having a fun time as a student that’s playing, but I think you’re responsible almost to pay back to that,” DeArmond said.

DeArmond also leads his school’s robotics team. He brought his trumpet to a competition in February hoping the officials would give him a chance to play. They obliged.

To view the clip of DeArmond playing at the February robotics competition, visit facebook.com/WasillaHS/videos/2965202050169984/UzpfSTU3Mzk3Mjc1MzoxMDE1ODUyMTEwMzA4Nzc1NA/?q=DeArmond%20&epa=SEARCH_BOX