Road to Success

Road to Success

Students discover and develop their musical passions while adjusting to quarantine

Over 23 million creators pub- still do some in person socially distanced er I feel like it, I just play guitar for fun.” lish their work on Spotify and ensembles, which is more true to the Although music plays different roles SoundCloud, hoping to be dis- spirit [of music],” Kuhn said. in the students’ lives today, one thing is covered by and become the “next big Unlike Buendia and Kuhn, sopho- certain, it heavily influences many of our thing.” Paly students only make up a tiny more Justin Gu began his career in music daily lives—whether it be in our profesfraction of the artists seeking a career in playing piano when he was very young, sional life as in the case of Buendia and the cutthroat music industry. but not because he wanted to. “The only Kuhn, our personal life like Gu’s or sim-

Senior Marina Buendia has had a reason why I play piano is because I was ply jamming out to a song on the radio. passion for mu- forced to,” Gu No matter what your relationship sic her whole life and plans on making a career “Quarantine definitely inspired me, just because said. “I still don’t really want to play piano.” is with music, like air is vital to human bodies, music is the oxygen for our soul. As we each have listened to a variety of in the music in- I’m alone with my Gu moved music in school and at home, music has dustry, starting with attending thoughts more, which is from the piano to the trumpet nurtured our minds for as long as we can remember. Berklee Col- when it’s easiest for me in elementa- High school is a key time to discovlege of Music in the fall. Like to write music.” ry school and moved to the er your passions and strengths as well as your struggles and dislikes. Students who other aspiring Marina Buendia French horn in find the time to balance their school and artists, Buendia middle school musical life are able to rule out whether had the chance to focus more on music after his cousin recommended it to him. they want to pursue music as a career or during COVID and online school. “It’s But as Gu transitioned to high school, he follow a different path. been way easier with online school just stopped playing in band. “It just started Music fosters bonds between lisbecause I have all my equipment with me to get repetitive and boring, because I teners across the globe, and at all times,” Buendia said. don’t like performing under pressure,” not only enriches our

Beyond logistics, Buendia’s songwrit- Gu said. lives, but defines our ing has also benefited. “[Quarantine] However, Gu still enjoyed music and character and is a definitely inspired me, just because I’m still wanted to play for fun even after means to express alone with my thoughts more, which is leaving band, so Gu pursued music at oneself. when it’s easiest for me to write music,” his church where he led worship. He also Buendia said. picked up guitar after his youth group

Sophomore Atticus Kuhn has been leader taught him. “It just seemed to fit playing viola in the school’s orchestra for my idea of what I wanted to do with mufive years, ever since he fell in love with sic,” Gu said. the sound of the viola. “I enjoy the expe- Since learning the guitar, Gu rience of playing with other people in an doesn’t worry about practicing ensemble setting,” Kuhn said. repeatedly and he found guitar

During the pandemic, Kuhn has not to be a nice balance between been able to attend school orchestra in- musicality and relaxation for person; instead, each individual mem- himself. “I like it when it’s ber of the orchetra records themselves casual, because I don’t like playing and they are stitched together in preparing for big concerts or post to bring concerts to life. Outside of anything,” Gu said. “I do my school, however, it’s a different story. “I homework and then whenev-