When walking down the hall of school, most people don’t think about people’s talents and what they might be able to do. There are a surprising number of people who are either learning an instrument or have been playing for a long time, and you would never know. I wanted to bring some of these people to light. 

Lucas Walker

Lucas started playing the guitar in ninth grade. His grandfather was a great guitar player and he left his dad with a few of his guitars. After seeing them not get played, Lucas decided to try and learn how to play, and he’s been doing it ever since. Lucas has never tried writing songs. He feels like they usually sound pretty bad, so he just plays songs that other people have written. “Music to me is a way to connect with people and a way to express emotions in a way that no other form of art can,” said Lucas.

Jackson Farlow

Jackson started learning how to play guitar in December of last year. He was inspired to play because of his friends who knew how to play, and he has been interested in playing for many years. Jackson hasn’t written any songs, and doesn’t plan on it as of right now. “Music is something to either help me escape reality or help me focus. It is also a way for me to relieve stress,” says Jackson. 

Kayla Hamlett

Kayla Hamlett is currently in the Trojan Vanguard. As for instruments, she plays the flute, piccolo, mellophone, guitar, AND the ukulele. “To me, music is like a getaway, I suppose. Like it’s something to make me feel better when I’m sad” Hamlett said. And Kayla is not the only musical one in her family. Her grandpa plays the drum and her mother plays the piano. With her family playing music around her at such a young age, it inspired her to eventually play her own music!

Andrew Cruz

Andrew Cruz has been making music since he was in seventh grade. He currently plays three instruments: the alto saxophone, piano, and trumpet. As for songs, Cruz has recently released an album called “Lemonade” on Spotify. He says his motivation for making music came from when he went to a website to make some music a few years ago and his love for song making grew.

Georgia Weaver

The final student is Georgia Weaver. Weaver plays the alto saxophone and guitar. She began playing because of her grandpa, he was her inspiration. Because of her grandpa, Weaver joined the Trojan Vanguard and has been playing ever since. “Music, to me, is a way to give someone a feeling you are trying to compose in a song,” Weaver states.

Music is something that everyone experiences. Even when one doesn’t know it, it’s all around them. Whether it’s playing in the headphones of the person next to you, or a coffee shop speaker, it’s there. Even in the hallways of Tunstall, there is music everywhere.