LIVINGSTON — Livingston’s Finn Schretenthaler has won two Class A state cross country championships, was named the Gatorade cross country runner of the year and holds the Class A state record in the 1,600-meter run. But that just scratches the surface of this young man’s talents.
Schretenthaler is quite skilled on the saxophone and plays in Livingston’s pep band, jazz band and marching band.
"I just think jazz is very interesting, especially improvisation," Schretenthaler said. "Learning how to navigate that is very fun to me. Also, having interactions with other people within playing an instrument. You'll play something, and then the drummer."
His love and passion for music through the years has of course developed his talents, but he’s also built relationships with his peers through music. That included a special opportunity that arose this summer that Schretenthaler couldn’t pass up.
“I got to record in a studio with a few of my friends that graduated. We didn't release it, we just did it for fun, but it was pretty meaningful for me to just have that experience," Schretenthaler said.
He said his mind goes fairly blank when he’s racing — there aren’t symphonies pumping through his brain to push him. But he definitely feels a correlation between playing a woodwind instrument and running long distances.
“It doesn't lend itself a lot to a lot of jazz, but sometimes when I'm playing some more funky stuff it helps that I'm able to keep playing a note for so long. And it does help with breath control in general. It's not the same type, you don't breathe the same way, but just having that lung capacity," Schretenthaler said.
Finn’s legs have propelled him to stardom, but peel back those pages and you start to get a glimpse for his vast array of talents.
