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Gwendolyn Avington gave me the opportunity always been Dave’s love of music. He and his

as the Division H Pathways Proponent. Her two younger siblings grew up outside of Boston,
infectious commitment and passion as the Massachusetts. His dad loved music, and was a
Pathways Proponent Committee Chair, drummer before the kids were born.
empowered my dedication in Pathways. We had “I have to give my dad credit. My relationship

many long conversations, and she supported me to music is very related to his exposure. My dad
at several club presentations I gave throughout used to play the drums. He stopped playing
the year (including one with Cedar Hills Club at around the time that he started having to raise
6:45 AM!). My growth and passion simply would us kids. But he never left the love of it. He didn’t

not have been the same without her challenging play but he still had a drum set in the basement.
and encouraging me. His stool was too high even at the lowest setting.
I dove in headfirst—seven days a week for So he set up a milk crate for me to just sit and
365 days. I studied Pathways. I’ve seen every play the drums. He would put on a Count Basie

long form video on YouTube. And I checked out recording. I’d be down there for a couple hours
other District websites and PDFs, interacted. I just playing with Basie. I never forgot it.
went from not being exposed to Pathways to total The way he described seeing the Count Basie
immersion. Actually, I had a negative beginning Orchestra live, how the dynamics would be so

in Pathways. I’m not gonna say I was a naysayer, quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Then all of a
but I was close. sudden out of nowhere, just larger than life, scare
But the thing that got me fired up about this, you out of your seat. Then in another second,
and just sort of got the whole thing started in they’re back to that pin drop. Silence. Yeah. And

addition to PJ’s conversation, was being an Area he said it was so clean, so swinging—I just never
Director. I had people in other Clubs asking me forgot his stories. I didn’t even have to be there.
questions about Pathways, as well as my own I was just so fascinated by his stories, you know?
Club members. He would play those recordings for me, and we

So I’d figure out their question. I was asked would just really appreciate the music together.”
hard questions. I was up all night trying to Dave was introduced to the trombone in the
figure this stuff out. And the big challenge is 4th grade, an instrument he continues to play
not figuring out a particular question, but it’s today.

actually figuring out what question are they “I’ve had a constant love affair and it’s never
really asking me? That’s what took me literally taken a break. I was hooked at nine years old. I
all night, many, many nights. Because it’s like, just loved the sound and the shape orientation of
okay, they’re asking me this, but actually, really, the music. I’ve just always loved the trombone—

they’re asking me like four questions. And I always loved music.”
needed to figure all those out. So that’s where Dave admits that he was not the ideal student.
it all started.” Music was what he cared about, not academics.
Before Pathways and Toastmasters, there has He joined the school bank in the 4th grade. For

VOICES! | OCTOBER 2021 9