Page 41 - JAN 2020 proof 1 The Castle Pines Connection

CastlePinesConnection.com
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Your Lucky Numbers
TALENTED TEENS
OF CASTLE PINES
By Steve Whitlock; photo courtesy of Aimee Bu ngton
There is a new rock group in town. The band, Lucky Numbers, is made up of local teens. They formed over a year ago through a summer program o ered by North Pines Music. During their most recent gig, the group entertained light rail commuters
at Lincoln Station Co ee/Music/Pizza located in Lone Tree. They played a variety of classic rock, including covers from Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones and U2.
Lucky Numbers consists of ve accomplished Castle Pines teens. Kelsey Blu ngton (15) plays guitar and sings. Avery Gibson (16) also plays guitar, piano and sings. Colton Brown (16) plays bass and is also in a jazz band. Adam Levy (14) and Aaron Levy (15) play piano and drums.
Commenting on their recent performance Avery stated, “We played at Lincoln Station, which was a big deal for all of us and it
was a huge hit!” He went on to share,
“The rewarding thing about being in a band for all of us is the opportunity to be with friends and to be able to have fun and relax while still doing something we all love.” Kelsey added, “I love to see the growth and progression of one simple song. From the rst practice when it sounds really rough to our nal run through before we perform – you can really see that all our hard work has paid o .”
Certainly, music is something that is signi cant in almost every culture through history. It’s something that touches listeners at a deep level. Adam conveyed the weight and power of music by saying, “I like being in a band because the music takes over when we play together.”
Recent studies show that music has a bene cial aspect in critical thinking, social skills and development. It’s empirically veri able. The National Educational Longitudinal Study discovered high school music students hold higher grade point averages than non-musicians in the same school. In short, music isn’t just entertaining, it’s good for you.
In addition to music, a common bond between the Lucky Numbers members has been their mentor and teacher, Neil Dreger, who coaches the band in their music. He heads up North Pines Music and Arts which provides music lessons for students in the Douglas County area.
Mentor and teacher Neil Greger (center) gives a “thumbs up” for the Lucky Numbers band performance at Lincoln Station Co ee/Music/Pizza. The band consists of ve Castle Pines teens.
Congratulations Rock Canyon High School, Bu alo Ridge Elementary and Timber Trail Elementary for being honored recipients
of the John Irwin Schools of Excellence Award. The award is given to schools that demonstrate excellent academic achievement in English, math and science.