Neighbors in the news: Arlington Heights musician attends prestigious academy
Gabrielle Venegas, a talented musician from Arlington Heights, recently spent two weeks in Door County, Wisconsin, studying at Birch Creek Music Performance Center.
Venegas, a student at John Hersey High School, was among nine musicians from throughout the country to attend the Percussion, Steel Pan & World Music session, led by Dr. Dan Moore, a 26-year faculty member of the prestigious academy.
Birch Creek Music Performance Center's mission is to provide intensive, performance-based instruction to promising young musicians by immersing them in a professional, mentoring environment.
Venegas was given the opportunity to hone her technical skills and learn firsthand all the aspects of life as a professional musician while performing alongside her teachers in front of paying concertgoers.
Northbrook resident Carl Peller, a volunteer coach for the Northbrook Park District, was named the district's 2024 Coach of the Year.
At the park district, Peller is a head coach for girls’ soccer and basketball, and an assistant coach for girls’ softball. His teams currently comprise 8- to 10-year-olds, including his 9-year-old twin daughters.
Peller’s skill and dedication, along with his desire to see his players grow on and off the field, earned him the award.
“I put a lot of energy and heart into all the kids that I coach, and it’s nice to be recognized for that,” he said. “It’s really my passion. I love doing it, and it’s important to me for a lot of reasons. One of them is that I develop relationships with other children and parents, and that has given (my family) a lot of friends that we probably wouldn’t have without sports.”
Peller started about five years ago as an assistant coach for the basketball program alongside Ryan Skale — a past recipient of the Coach of the Year award — and began coaching soccer shortly after. He’s been coaching softball since last year.
Streamwood author Ureed Zaidi released his second novel, “Apollo Darwin,” on Aug. 9.
The book follows the life of Apollo Darwin, a character determined to redeem himself after serving three years in prison. As Apollo grapples with the challenges of securing stable employment and conforming to society, he also confronts the heart-wrenching news of his mother's terminal illness.
Zaidi's first novel was “The Short Kid From Pakistan.”
Zaidi is represented by Aiden Branss Books, a publishing company exclusively dedicated to amplifying the voices of talented teenagers and young adults.
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