2008 Woodie Awards
Musically inclined twin graduate students seek master's degrees
Lisa McGunigal
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Campus
04/11/08 - Two University of Rhode Island students share friends, a pursuit of a master's degree in music and have been roommates for 23 years.
Fraternal twins Stephen and Will Grueb from North Kingstown enjoyed attending the university for their degree in music performance. They each specialized in clarinet and piano respectively, and enjoyed their experience at URI so much that they returned for their post-graduate degree.
Stephen pursues conducting while Will continues his studies with piano.
Age-wise, Will is the older twin by 10 minutes. The brothers also have an older brother who attended URI, as did their father.
Even though Stephen is a blonde and three inches taller than the brunette Will, once people discover they are twins, the confusion of names begins. While the brothers answer to both names, Will said there is a limit.
"If we're both there, they better get the name right," he said.
As with many twins, there can sometimes be a leader among the two siblings. For the Gruebs, the role is exchangeable.
"It kind of switches, depending on the activity," Stephen said. "When we did karate, he was the leader ... Depending on what's going on, one of us will take charge."
For similarities, Stephen and Will share a dry sense of humor, as well as a sense of sarcasm. Outside of music, Stephen enjoys learning magic tricks and writing Web sites about computers. Will differs in this regard.
"I use my computer to check e-mail and that's about it," he said.
Will's main hobby is tuning and repairing pianos, something he is thinking of continuing after he graduates. Other venues of interest for Will are opening a private studio to teach piano or working as a church organist. Stephen said he looked forward to teaching music at the college level and then pursuing a doctorate in music.
In describing life as a twin, Will expressed the constant grouping of himself and his brother. "You get put as a single unit a lot," Will said.
Fraternal twins Stephen and Will Grueb from North Kingstown enjoyed attending the university for their degree in music performance. They each specialized in clarinet and piano respectively, and enjoyed their experience at URI so much that they returned for their post-graduate degree.
Stephen pursues conducting while Will continues his studies with piano.
Age-wise, Will is the older twin by 10 minutes. The brothers also have an older brother who attended URI, as did their father.
Even though Stephen is a blonde and three inches taller than the brunette Will, once people discover they are twins, the confusion of names begins. While the brothers answer to both names, Will said there is a limit.
"If we're both there, they better get the name right," he said.
As with many twins, there can sometimes be a leader among the two siblings. For the Gruebs, the role is exchangeable.
"It kind of switches, depending on the activity," Stephen said. "When we did karate, he was the leader ... Depending on what's going on, one of us will take charge."
For similarities, Stephen and Will share a dry sense of humor, as well as a sense of sarcasm. Outside of music, Stephen enjoys learning magic tricks and writing Web sites about computers. Will differs in this regard.
"I use my computer to check e-mail and that's about it," he said.
Will's main hobby is tuning and repairing pianos, something he is thinking of continuing after he graduates. Other venues of interest for Will are opening a private studio to teach piano or working as a church organist. Stephen said he looked forward to teaching music at the college level and then pursuing a doctorate in music.
In describing life as a twin, Will expressed the constant grouping of himself and his brother. "You get put as a single unit a lot," Will said.