By Diana Barragan
& Julia Kulon
Before conversation, laughter and screams overtake the hallways of Lane, there is another type of sound that fills the air. It is softer and more musical. It is a whistle and it comes from the man who is known as the The Whistler, a name-sake that he has earned at other schools.
At Lane, he is first mostly Gary Rybicki of the Drafting Department.
While most teachers prepare for their classes in the mornings, Rybicki is typically heard whistling through the hallways.
“[Lane’s hallways] like a giant auditorium, the sound just resonates off the walls,” said Rybicki.
For Rybicki whistling is innate. Growing up, he remembers his father whistling in his free time.
“Now when I whistle, my father takes off his hearing aid because the amplification of the sound of my whistling has a higher pitch,” said Rybicki.
A band director once suggested to Rybicki that he whistle competitively and enter a contest, but Rybicki declined the notion.
“I can’t whistle in front of people because I would start laughing and smiling,” said Rybicki, “To a certain extent, I whistle subconsciously.”
Whistling, however, is considered to be a competitive sport. Every year since 1970 in April in Louisburg, North Carolina, talented whistlers from all over the world whistle against each other in a three day competition. These whistlers range from beginning amateurs to real champions. The contestants have the chance to compete in three different categories.
The Classical category is generally music from the considered masters of instrumental music. The Popular category, on the other hand, allows the competitors to choose from any popular music, such as jazz, spiritual, country or folk. The last category, Allied Arts, is not so much musical as it theatrical, allowing the individual to whistle a reenactment of a character or story.
Although Rybicki does not have a musical background, he does likes to whistle certain favorite tunes such as the Canadian Anthem, Stars and Stripes Forever, the Gary Owen, or a Star Wars medley.
“If I watch a movie a number of times, and I like it, the theme song starts to stick with me,” said Rybicki.
As easily as he can remember a tune, that is how easily the whistle leaves his lips.
“Sometimes, I worry in-between periods because I think ‘Woah, I might be disturbing a class’,” said Rybicki.
However, it seems like Rybicki does not have to worry about that.
“A lot of people have commented [on my whistling],” said Rybicki. “They’ve all been good comments.”
For Rybicki, it’s not about a competition. It’s simply a part of him.
“I just like hearing the sound, in a way it relaxes me,” Rybicki said.
The next time you arrive at Lane a little too early, and you hear a whistle and see a man that looks a little bit like Santa Claus, have no fear it’s The Whistler.
