Latest news with #Selinger
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
He only has one hand, but Boynton Beach teen plays magic on this difficult musical instrument
BOYNTON BEACH — Recent Palm Beach Central High School graduate Alex Rodriguez, 18, sits in his Boynton Beach living room, a University of Florida flag draped over a chair and his custom-made euphonium resting nearby on its stand. When asked about his 'condition' — being born without a full left arm — he responds with genuine confusion: 'What condition?' 'I was born that way, that's it,' he said, with a shrug that suggests the conversation should probably move on to something more interesting. Rodriguez is a recipient of Palm Beach Symphony's 2025 Lisa Bruna B-Major Award, an annual competition for high school seniors who want to pursue music education but who face financial barriers. Winners are given professional instruments to use for their college auditions. Rodriguez was one of three winners this year, but his prize required special engineering. The symphony gifted him a euphonium, a brass instrument in the same family as the tuba that typically requires both hands: Three valves controlled by one hand, one valve by the other. 'It's a completely different sound,' Rodriguez said when comparing the euphonium with the tuba. 'The tuba is deeper and the euphonium is higher.' ➤ Access The Palm Beach Post on the go with the app: Our app offers a personalized experience to your liking. Download our app to personalize your news alerts, swipe and scroll through stories faster, and bookmark them to save and read later. Unlike the standard euphonium, the one Rodriguez received has all of the valves on the same side so that it can be played using solely his right hand — a custom modification to an instrument that typically costs about $8,000. '[Alex] is absolutely deserving of the recognition he received,' said Bryce Selinger, the symphony's education and programming associate and one of the competition's judges. 'He inspires others to meet their own potential because he has such a difficult circumstance and is such an overachiever that he has reached goals that fully able-bodied people wouldn't typically do.' To win the award, students need to show talent, financial need and academic excellence. Participants also needed to submit a résumé and letter of recommendation. 'Even if he wasn't disabled, he would have won this competition,' Selinger said. 'And I hate to say 'disabled,' because it's really just something he overcomes.' Rodriguez puts it simply: 'It's not like a struggle. People think 'Oh, you struggle so much.' No, it's not [like that].' The award also came with an invitation to perform in the symphony's inaugural community side-by-side concert at the Kravis Center on May 19, where 72 professional musicians were paired with 108 community players ranging from 11 to 81 years old. Rodriguez performed on trombone rather than euphonium — orchestras rarely include euphoniums, and trombone is the closest related instrument, he said. The 181-person ensemble tackled Johannes Brahms' "Academic Festival Overture," a piece that Selinger said demands technical skill and musical maturity. This was Rodriguez's first performance with the symphony, but nowhere near the first he's ever done. Rodriguez didn't discover music through some profound calling or family tradition. His path to the euphonium began with movie soundtracks. 'It's nothing elaborate, nothing special,' he said. 'Hearing [music from] 'Star Wars,' 'Jurassic Park,' that sounds cool. I want to do that.' What started as a sixth-grader's fascination with John Williams led to a recommendation from his high school music director to try the euphonium. Before receiving a custom-made horn, Rodriguez played intermediate-level instruments with valves positioned on top rather than on the side, making playing one-handed possible. 'I just do it. I just change it up, get better,' he said. This approach has served him well beyond music. Rodriguez also holds a black belt in karate, earned in November 2023 after starting the martial art at age 4. He also maintains a 4.7 weighted GPA and was accepted into every college he applied to. His mother watches him assemble furniture by holding pieces with his feet. 'He's just adaptable,' Joyce Rodriguez, his mother, said. 'He figures out how to do everything.' Alex wore a prosthetic arm when he was younger — a harness-like device that needed specific movements to open and close an artificial hand; however, he abandoned it years ago and has no plans to reconsider. MORE: Violinist phenom from Palm Beach County wowing world on international stage The only real challenge he acknowledges comes in karate, during grappling exercises that typically require grabbing with both hands. 'He uses his body or legs more,' Joyce said. Alex practices about an hour daily — though his father insists it's more — and plays occasionally with friends. He said he chose the University of Florida over Florida State University, the University of Central Florida and Florida Atlantic University based primarily on academics. He'll start classes June 30, joining what he describes as a small but focused music program. MORE: Once again, West Palm says the Sunset Lounge's reopening is near. Is this time for real? '[The music program] is a little bit smaller but that means it's more tight-knit,' Rodriguez said. This summer, he will attend the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival in Atlanta, a weeklong gathering of low-brass players from around the world. In terms of long-term goals, Rodriguez keeps his options open. 'I might decide to go for a doctorate and go to FSU for music education because their music education program is really good. Or who knows, I might decide to go back to UF or a different college and do trombone,' he said. Whatever his future path, his achievements so far are a constant source of inspiration to his family. 'It's always been a recurring thing: If Alex can do it, I can do it,' Joyce said. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boynton musician, born with one hand, plays his custom-made euphonium
Winnipeg Free Press
05-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
In brief: Mounties assaulted, Lac du Bonnet arrests, Selinger doctorate, food recall
A suspect bit a Selkirk RCMP officer while she was being arrested early on Saturday, Mounties say. Officers were called about a disturbance at a home on Outhwaite Drive in Selkirk just before 3 a.m. Saturday, but were told the woman who had been fighting people in the home had left before police arrived, RCMP say. The Mounties patrolled the area and didn't find her, but 20 minutes later, the suspect returned to the house, where they found her outside the front door. SUPPLIED North Shore Fishery frozen breaded shrimp patties (above) and tempura shrimp rolls have been recalled. RCMP say as officers brought her to their cruiser, the suspect kicked at one of the Mounties and then bit another officer, who went for medical treatment, in the leg. Mounties say she continued to be violent and harm herself at the local detachment and paramedics took her to the Selkirk hospital for treatment. A 22-year-old woman is facing charges for resisting arrest and two counts of assaulting a police officer. TWO MEN were arrested after police observed a break and enter at a Lac du Bonnet business. After arriving at the Minnewawa Street business at 5 a.m. on May 29, RCMP officers said they saw a utility task vehicle driven off the yard at a high rate of speed. Officers chased the vehicle until it abruptly stopped. Two males were arrested without incident. RCMP later determined the side-by-side vehicle was stolen from the business and other stolen items were scattered nearby. The total value of the items is $27,000. A 26-year-old man and a 40-year-old man, both from Fort Alexander, were charged with break and enter, theft over $5,000, flight from police and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. They were remanded in custody. Université de Saint-Boniface will award former premier Greg Selinger an honorary doctorate in recognition of his longtime commitment to French-language education and for making an 'indelible mark' on Manitoba. The honorary doctorate — the highest degree granted by the francophone university, the only one of its kind in western Canada — will be unveiled at a convocation ceremony on June 16. It is being conferred in partnership with the University of Manitoba. SUPPLIED North Shore Fishery frozen tempura shrimp rolls Selinger, 74, served as the 21st premier of Manitoba from 2009 to 2016. He held numerous political roles during his two decades in public office, the majority of which was spent as an NDP MLA for St. Boniface. 'Under his guidance, the government adopted a holistic approach to promoting the sustainable, long-term development of Manitoba's Francophonie,' the USB said in a news release. The release credits Selinger with expanding the province's network of French-language and immersion schools and playing a key role in granting the school full university status. Selinger, a U of M alum, was a social worker in Winnipeg's North End. He returned to his alma mater to teach in its social work school before entering politics in 1989. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Wednesday it is recalling North Shore Fishery brand frozen breaded shrimp patties and frozen tempura shrimp rolls as allergens egg, soy and milk were not declared on the label. The items, sold in Manitoba and B.C., should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.
Winnipeg Free Press
04-06-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Selinger to receive honorary doctorate from St. B university
Saint-Boniface University will award former premier Greg Selinger an honorary doctorate in recognition of his longtime commitment to French-language education and 'indelible mark' on Manitoba. The honorary doctorate — the highest degree granted by the francophone university, the only one of its kind in western Canada — will be unveiled at a convocation ceremony on June 16. It is being conferred in partnership with the University of Manitoba. Selinger, 74, served as the 21st premier of Manitoba from 2009 to 2016.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Parker: Creative agency continues to Strut its stuff after 25 years
Life has its ups and downs, and businesses have certainly suffered through some tough times over the past few years. Yet, the good ones pulled through — and many, including Strut Creative, have prospered. Article content Strut kept its long-standing accounts and has acquired some amazing new local and international clients. Article content Founded by Aaron Salus and Natalie Selinger out of Selinger's spare bedroom, the company is celebrating its 25 th anniversary next month. Article content Article content It grew, and although taking bigger space above Café Beano in Kipling Square — and for many years in the office building at the corner of 17 th Avenue and 2 nd Street S.E. — during the pandemic its staff got used to working remotely. Today, it conducts its business virtually, with half of the staff of 13 in Calgary and the rest in Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Canmore and the Okanagan. Article content Article content Selinger left to raise a family and Salus has been joined by partner and creative strategist Russ Bugera in achieving Strut's success in its three main areas of brand, campaigns and digital platforms. Article content Among its newer clients, Salus is proud of the work Strut has done in the not-for-profit world for the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). Strut was charged with communicating the findings of its scientific studies to help people understand the risks of alcohol abuse. It produced a campaign in newspapers, transit and digital to direct people to the CCSA website, resulting in huge numbers responding to its overarching goal of improving the wellness for people experiencing the harms of substance use. Article content Article content 'Drink less — live more' was Strut's advice. Article content CCSA is based in Ottawa, and Salus says it contacted Strut after admiring the good work it has done for Canadian Geographic over the past 16 years. Article content The Calgary company has completed some remarkably good projects for Canadian Geographic, most recently in rebuilding its online magazine experience, including an interactive map and feature photography articles, and a collection of powerful tools facilitating searching through decades of content. It brings it to life in ways not possible in the print issues of the 96-year-old magazine, while increasing reader engagement, subscription, donations and advertising. Article content Other notable campaigns for Canadian Geographic include Live Net Zero, helping Canadians reduce household carbon emissions; sharing the stories of Indigenous peoples with online and app resources for the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada; and 10,000 Changes, championing Canada's commitment to rethink plastic.
