At Richard Montgomery, students are encouraged to explore their interests outside of just academics. For many, including sophomores Sophia Neufeld and Aaron Swibel, these interests include music, an art that they spend countless hours perfecting.
RM offers many music programs catering to students of all skill levels. Neufeld plays tuba as a part of the Symphonic Band, one of the many instrumental class electives available to students. She also participates in the student-led A Cappella Club where members sing contemporary songs without instrumental backing.
“My favorite part of being in these programs is being able to meet new people and connect to them through music,” Neufeld said. “It’s just really beautiful hearing all our voices coming together.”
Outside of RM, Neufeld is also a part of the Strathmore Youth Chorus. “With Strathmore Youth Chorus, it’s different because you’re working with people that you don’t see on a day-to-day basis, but it’s still great to make friends there who have really different perspectives,” Neufeld said.
Swibel is a singer-songwriter who composes and produces his own music with the help of a songwriting coach and producer. He has his music posted on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music and is a finalist for the Strathmore Songwriting Award.
Swibel draws inspiration from real-world experiences, both his own and those of others. “Sometimes just hearing other people’s stories and experiences is interesting, and it inspires me to write a song about something like that,” Swibel said.
Then, he works to make his ideas into music. He selects instruments to produce the sound he wants and crafts the song’s narrative, writing his songs according to certain structural rules involving syllables and rhyming.
Swibel also uses techniques like text painting, when the music reflects the meaning of the lyrics. “Text painting is one of the cool parts that I like about music, because you can really get intricate details in there that maybe people won’t notice, but it adds a lot of depth,” Swibel said.
Though Neufeld and Swibel are involved in very different aspects of music, they both find joy in exploring their emotions through music. “It definitely feels like that moment of fresh air, where I just get to do something that I really love,” Swibel said. “Being such a young artist and musician, I’m trying to really take my time with it.”
Music is a way to connect with others and express one’s emotions. It serves as a universal language for people to communicate with others, and whether through listening, playing, or creating music, students can find a sense of belonging in music. For high school students like Neufeld and Swibel, who are starting to think about their futures, music is undoubtedly something they want to stay in their lives.
“I plan to continue for a long time because at the end of the day, singing is something you can do wherever you are, and I think it’s a really fun thing that all people can take part in and have fun with even if you’re not a musician,” Neufeld said. “Music is meant to be heard, and music is meant to be shared.”
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