By Ed Karvoski Jr., Contributing Writer
Northborough/Southborough – On May 11, the Algonquin Regional High School chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society presented 19 acts featuring vocalists and musicians in its eighth annual Open Mic Night with some new twists. For the first time, the event was moved from a coffeehouse setting in the school cafeteria to its JFK Auditorium to accommodate a larger audience.
Also, the fundraiser helped a different benefitting charity. In its first seven years, proceeds went to the Dennis Wrenn Memorial Scholarship Fund. Wrenn was the Tri-M faculty advisor, and chair of the fine and performing arts department, who passed away in 2009 while in Greece with the school’s jazz band.
The Tri-M members wanted this Open Mic Night to memorialize Eric Green, who would have graduated with them this school year. Many of the students were classmates with him at P. Brent Trottier Middle School in Southborough. There, he played trumpet in the Big Band.
A message in the event program read in part, “A Southborough native, Eric Green passed away in January 2012 from an undiagnosed heart condition, devastating the community, especially his fellow members of the future Algonquin class of 2017. A caring and lovable boy, Eric had friends from all social groups. He was devoted to sports, playing lacrosse, soccer and basketball, and played in the middle school’s jazz band.”
Eric also played with the Southborough Little League. Since 2012, each season concludes with the Eric Green Sportsmanship Award presented to a 12-year-old player.
The Tri-M officers shared with Eric’s mother, Suzy Green, their plan to make a donation to a charity in his name. As per her recommendation, proceeds from this Open Mic Night will go to the Bubs Foundation.
According to its website, “The Bubs Foundation’s mission is to awaken in young people a passion for expression and learning through music. To support our mission, we provide financial grants to middle and high schools to augment underfunded programs and to support inspiring music teachers.”
Overseeing the planning and production of the Open Mic Night were the Tri-M officers: Gretchen Forbush, president; Sumati Rangaraj, vice president; Jonah O’Brien Weiss, treasurer; Isabella Montuori, secretary; and Tess Herdman, historian. Faculty co-advisors are Amy Collins and Kathrine Waters.
