WRV grad’s love of jazz wins her WRV’s first-ever Louis Armstrong Jazz award

Mikusak at her kindergarten, left and high school graduations.

courtesy image left, and By Patti Danner, right

For 2019 White River Valley graduate Abigail (Abby) Rose Davenport-Mikusak, it all began when she was about five years old and she received her first musical instrument, a mini-guitar.

Mikusak’s father, Paul, played the guitar and the youngster would do her best to play along, emulating her dad.

“My dad would teach me songs by Michael Jackson, stuff like that,” Mikusak said.

When Mikusak was 13 years old, her family suffered the loss of her great-grandmother Bertha, and the young teen’s life changed forever.

“My great-grandma left me her keyboard,” Mikusak said. “And I was immediately hooked. I just found the keys to be more expressive for me, like I was playing emotions and not just sounds.” Mikusak taught herself to play for about two years before signing up for lessons from Greene County’s RaeAnne Tyra. She continued learning from Tyra for about three years.

“I think Abby had a lot of fun playing guitar with her dad,” said Mikusak’s mother, Angel. “But getting that keyboard changed everything. Once she discovered the sounds a keyboard can make she never looked back. I think that’s what drew her to jazz.”

Mikusak with longtime friend and fellow musician Geoffrey Gentry.

Mikusak was attending Linton-Stockton High School, where she met longtime friend and fellow Tyra-student Geoffrey Gentry.

She said jazz just came naturally once she started playing piano and keyboard, and said her favorite types of jazz are swing and big-band as well as bluesy jazz. She particularly likes the structure of “Superstition”.

Mikusak was very much into dance at that time in her life, earning awards and kudos for her work with the Miner Kadets.

Mikusak plays at a recent WRV awards night.

About halfway through her sophomore year, she decided to transfer to White River Valley.

“I immediately loved WRV,” she said. “The atmosphere was very comfortable and it felt like I was home and among family. I felt very welcome there.”

At WRV, Mikusak, who had previously enjoyed her time as a member of the school choir at Linton, signed up for the music class of WRV Music Director Austin Hamang.

“Mr. Hamang is my favorite teacher and the Jazz Band is what I will miss most about WRV,” she said. “He knows all of the styles, he loves to teach and he has a great sense of humor.”

Mikusak with WRV Music Director and favorite teacher, Austin Hamang.

Hamang gives equal praise to his former pupil.

“It was clear that the last couple of years, Abby showed tremendous growth in performing jazz and learning new ways to comp, or play the chords structure underneath a soloist,” Hamang said. “Her interest in pursuing music after high school also kept growing as she explored more genres of jazz, like blues, funk and rock. She is also extremely amiable to be around, much as Louis Armstrong was said to be himself. This year was the first time WRV has given this award to any student, which was exciting. We hope it will be a positive new tradition at WRV, starting with Abby.”

The coveted Louis Armstrong Jazz award.

The Louis Armstrong award was inaugurated in 1974 with the consent of Armstrong’s widow Lucille, shortly after he died in 1971. The award itself is limited to one per school, and may include a certificate, engraved statue, and wall plaque to which the names of each recipient over the years may be added.

Some notable recipients include John Mayer, Pat Metheny, Nick Offerman, Trey Parker, John Petrucci and Steve Vai.

Lucille Armstrong described his love for people. “Louis’s greatest personality traits were humility and generosity. He just loved people, and he always tried to understand them too. He was compassionate, generous and understanding with everyone. He was loved not only for his style, but as a person as well.”

Considering her daughter the embodiment of such positive traits, Angel Mikusak said Abby’s greatest strength, in her opinion, is the depth of her caring for others.

“Her greatest gift is empathy,” Mikusak said. “For all people in all cultures and all situations. She is also very adaptable and I think that will serve her well. For Abby, the sky is the limit as to what she will achieve. She loves a challenge and she picks up new things very easily. I can definitely see her with her own law firm in the future, helping people. She’s creative and fun but also analytical and logical.”

Mikusak's graduation photo.

Mikusak plans to attend Indiana University in Bloomington this fall, where she will study psychology and law. She credits her parents for many things.

“From my mom I learned early on to stand up for myself. She probably regrets teaching me that,” she said with a smile. “She taught me perseverance, both through example and by teaching me.”

Mikusak’s father also taught his daughter some things about life, Abby says.

“Dad taught me patience, I get that from him,” she said. “He also taught me how to let things go, not to sweat the small stuff and just roll with the punches. Both of my parents have really contributed to the shape of my life. I mean, two years ago I thought I hated jazz. But I persevered and I just rolled with it.”

Mikusak said if she could give any advice to future WRV students it would be to be true to themselves.

“Worry about you, not what others think of you,” she said. “Above all else, you do you.”

Angel Mikusak remembers the coupon made for her by four-year-old Abby, who has now become a strong, creative and independent woman.

“She made it herself and it was her idea,” Mikusak said fondly. “It was good for free cuddles and there was no expiration date on it, I still have it. If I could send any thought or wishes with her into her future, I would tell her to remember to take time to enjoy life, all of it. But also be cautious and aware of your surroundings. She’s a strong woman now, but this is the same girl who crawled into our bed to cuddle graduation night.”