The Young Artists of Music

By Jair Martinez

Music: the universal language that we can all understand on an emotional level.  But music is much more than a language—it’s an art. Just like any type of art, its not easy to create. Both a painter and a musician are very alike regarding their work. It takes hard work and dedication over long periods of time to create masterpieces, their imaginations have no limit to what they can create, and they all have their own unique style. Tustin High School is aware of this, which is why we not only have an art class, but also a Music Tech class where students can learn to create complete compositions with the guidance of Mr. Jones.

Unlike other classes, Mr. Jones guides you to create something new and original, something unique to yourself. The advanced music students, students who have been in music tech for two years, know very well the amazing feeling of being able to create their own music. “The fact that I have a great passion for music; ever since I was a kid I have loved listening to music and the fact that I had the opportunity to create my own songs was a dream come true,” commented Adrian Salvador.

One of the amazing things about this class is that everyone has a passion for the subject. Music has a special, unique connection with all of us and now these students have the chance to touch people’s lives with their work. As better explained by Abraham Arceo, an advanced Music Tech student, “Music can save someone’s life, change someone’s life, and inspire them to do so many things. Personally, music has gotten me through some tough times and I hope that I can someday do the same for someone with my music.” That seems to me the motivation for most of these students, which is why they are driven to keep improving their work because when it comes to music, there is always something you can improve on.

Once you enter Music Tech, with the help of Mr. Jones, you have the ability to pull your soul out, examine it, and turn it into an MP3 file, or as Daniel Gonzalez put it, “In this class, you’re able to express yourself in the form of music.” And this is exactly what these students have been taught to do in music tech.

The meanings behind a song has “the power to get people through stressful moments in their life,” commented Kush Bhakta, another advanced music tech student.

Although these students are left to create what they wish, “you’re surrounded by people who have a passion for music, which is why we all help each other improve on our compositions,” mentioned Angel Camacho.

These students have been in Music Tech for two years, passionately studying the art of music. It takes hard work and dedication to be able to create a good song which, by now, these students have learned to do.

“It’s amazing how much you improve on your music in this class. I remember how cringy it was to listen to my first composition, but now I can’t help but be proud of what I am able to create,” explained John Gutierrez. But behind every great student, is a great teacher.

Mr. Jones, a talented musician, who has dedicated most of his life to music, now passes down his wisdom to teenagers who share his passion for music. Before he even started teaching Music Tech here at Tustin High he had been practicing music for years.

“I used to be a professional musician.  I used to play in bands growing up. I’ve built and owned a recording studio for a number of years, so I’ve had a lot of experience before coming here.” explained Mr. Jones. Throughout the years he has, “seen such a growth with the advanced students. They all have gotten to the point where their compositions are all programed with the keyboard, and no longer use loops that the software provides. I let them focus on the skills that they want to improve on—some might want to focus on a particular instrument that they’re getting really good at; others might want to focus on using vocals, but it’s important that they start off with the basics, like arranging a composition, which is vital for creating a good song in the first place.”  

Music, although it is a form of art, is experienced much differently by the people than a painting or a sculpture. “Music, I believe, transcends cultures and languages; it’s like a unifying thing.  It can be absorbed very personally and mean something very different to different people, but it can also be experienced collectively, like in a concert or outdoors which gives us a good feeling, a feeling of unity,” commented Mr. Jones. So for all you music fans at Tustin High School who want to get the opportunity to create your own music, choose Music Tech.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *