http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_unesbx45b3vmheuvpy2dqy55_a32b9d38-403a-459e-8b25-60a47c881d8e_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:20:24 GMT 15 By Melissa Carpenter
March’s artist of the month is a musician like no other. While many students are very talented, freshman George Dennehy, who plays the cello for the orchestra, stands out above the rest. Born without arms, Dennehy has overcome many difficulties of everyday life. From a young age, Dennehy has taken on the challenges of playing an instrument. “I started to play when I was seven. I had a really great teacher who helped me try different things out and see what fit me best,” Dennehy said. Although he is now an accomplished player, he has been through many obstacles to get where he is. “The biggest problem was just getting more flexible. We just kept trying to see what would work out the best and eventually we figured it out. Some songs are difficult to learn, but if I really take the time to practice, I can figure them out,” Dennehy said. He not only plays cello for school, but also plays acoustic guitar and bass guitar. “I like to play them all equally, but it usually depends on what mood I’m in. I think the most fun thing to play is bass guitar. Sometimes I write my own stuff and sometimes I just play,” Dennehy said. While Dennehy plays at home for fun, he also plays with his church youth group band. “I play bass guitar for the youth group band at Cool Springs. I also sometimes sing, but I don’t really do that very often. I normally just play because that’s what I like to do best and it’s the most fun,” Dennehy said. Playing music isn’t Dennehy’s only hobby. With a family of 10 brothers and sisters, he always has someone to hang out with. He said, “In my family I there are seven kids at the house and I have three older siblings. Two of them are at JMU and one has already graduated from college. I’m one of the oldest kids.” Following in his siblings’ footsteps, Dennehy plans to attend James Madison University. He wants to pursue some type of a musical career. “I think I definitely want to be some type of artist when I get older. I don’t think I could get in Juilliard obviously, but I think I could get into JMU. They have a great musical program,” Dennehy said. Although he is talented beyond belief and plays instruments that most people can’t even play, Dennehy lives a normal teenage life. He does everything that any regular teenager would do, from hanging out with friends to going on Facebook. Dennehy said, “I live a regular life, but instead of using my hands for everyday stuff, I use my feet.” ]]> Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:43:49 GMT