Last March, a cacophony of individually chosen and clashing notes flooded the auditorium as Trinity’s strings musicians prepared for their final concert of the school year.
In the tuning-up ranks sat Jonathan Manglardi, a Beginning Strings class musician participating in his third concert. Surrounded by his classmates and peers, he began to rehearse the pieces he would be playing for one final time before the long-awaited performance.
Merely an hour earlier, Manglardi’s mind could not have been in a more distant place—he was concerned with fending off linebackers, running routes and catching the football. Only a hasty shower and hurried wardrobe change separated Manglardi’s two lives.
A member of the Varsity Football team since sophomore year, Manglardi began his football career on an even playing field with many long-time players—as Coach Mike Kruczek’s newly instituted offensive system required all players to start fresh.
He has seen his role change numerous times throughout his tenure on the team, playing fullback and wide receiver in his first two years.
Currently, the violinist lines up at both tight end and defensive end, starting on both sides of the ball. He looks to be a difference maker down the stretch this fall for the Saints. While Manglardi and his teammates will attempt to win some big games, Manglardi thinks the most impactful part of the sport is something other than putting up points.
“I really like all the friendships that you can make through football, [as well as] the friendships that get strengthened,” Manglardi said. “I have come so close to all my best friends [by] just spending time with them through practices and games.”
The camaraderie Manglardi found on the football field both drew him into and will keep him playing the game.
On any given school day, Manglardi practices violin before padding up for football. He moved from the Beginning Strings class to the Intermediate Strings class for his senior year. He garnered the “Most Improved” award in Beginning Strings last year for his impressive adaptation to the craft.
“Playing an instrument is a very athletic endeavor,” Fine Arts Teacher Mrs. May said. “Jonathan, being a very good athlete, came into Beginning Strings with an advantage. He was stiff at the beginning but quickly learned to relax.”
Manglardi sheepishly admits that he began taking strings to satisfy his Fine Arts credit, but the course immediately became an integral part of his life. For the senior, playing the violin is an escape from the stress of every-day life at Trinity. Though admittedly frustrating at times, the instrument offers Manglardi a chance to clear his mind and focus on one thing, and one thing only.
“I like everything being in rhythm and having an order,” Manglardi said.
The violin offers more to Manglardi than a cathartic class period every day. The satisfaction of seeing practice pay off immediately is something Manglardi does not see in his other activities. Unlike football players, for whom working out or practicing hard may not instantly pay dividends on game day, strings musicians get the opportunity to see themselves improve each and every day.
This gratification is what drives Manglardi to bring his Trinity-rented violin home on the weekends occasionally. For the sake of consistency and his own enjoyment, Manglardi seeks to buy a violin of his own in the near future.
“Jonathan clearly enjoys playing violin,” May said. “He has the ability to ‘get in the zone’ when playing. Music transports the soul to a better place. When Jonathan creates music, he transports himself to a place he enjoys. His hard work to get to that level is a testament to Jonathan.”
She also mentioned that Manglardi is somewhat of a role model to his class period. His quiet, calm and relaxed nature lends itself to an aire of focus and concentration for the class as a whole.
Manglardi noted that he rarely has trouble balancing strings and football— citing sleep as the only victim of his busy life. He is the only player on the football team who plays an instrument through Trinity, and one of the few to play one at all.
On top of all of this, Manglardi is an avid student. Though he will tell you he is “not Harvard bound,” the student-athlete really stresses that the “student” part comes first.
Jonathan has excelled in courses at the AP level and is a member of the National Honor Society.
He is an active church member as well— serving on the Youth Leadership Team at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church since his sophomore year. In his free time, Manglardi enjoys boating, playing FIFA and hanging out with his three brothers. His favorite food, in stark contrast to his violin-playing classicism, is buffalo chicken wings.
Manglardi plans to continue his studies at the University of Central Florida, where he wants to major in chemical or civil engineering.
