THE IMPACTFUL INFLUENCE OF MUSIC

BY ELLIOT KRIPPELZ

Music is something that undoubtedly brings people together, whether that is through sharing songs with others, playing music with a group of people or attending a concert. For centuries, music has provided a sense of community for many people. Different genres and subgenres of music are created over time as music evolves, and communities and cultures coming together is the effect that comes from these developments.

When people find the specific genre or artist that allows them to feel most connected to what they’re listen ing to, that can then bring groups of people with similar tastes together. The many diverse categories of music allow for creative freedom and the natural formation of communities for those with shared interests.

Junior Cassidy Krohn has been playing guitar for 10 years and hopes to continue using music for her even tual career path. Krohn finds that mu sic is a way she can creatively express herself.

“I think that the type [of music] that you listen to can influence [you] a lot. For example, someone who listens to rap can be [perceived differently] than someone who listens to indie music,” Krohn said. “I feel like everybody could listen to all [types] of music, but I also think everyone has their own [genre] that represents who they are.”

Subgenres in music take preexist ing genres and make them more spe cific to cater to a select community who enjoys that type of music. Genres like pop or rock have subgenres like indie pop or alternative rock. The difference between rock and alternative rock is that the alternative type is more inde pendently created and not as main stream when compared with the tradi tional rock music that most are familiar with.

Da Capo Music Studio in Elburn, run by Ben Westfall and Kristin Paxinos, has been providing music tutoring for 14 years. Starting in the Elburn & Coun tryside Community Center, Da Capo has moved to a strip mall near the Elburn Jewel where music tutors help create different bands and provide many types of lessons.

Westfall shared his experience from teaching music for many years.

“When you go to a concert and everyone is feeling the same emotion, it is [influential] because that is what a song does. It has that impact on everyone there who is listening to it. That is one of the magical things about going to a concert,” Westfall said. “Everyone there is [part of a] community experiencing it together.”

Shared encounters with music are what create a fully immersive experience that many people love. Different music.

“I think that in a smaller area like around here, many people like the same types of music and they bounce off each other. There are a lot of different types of music to choose from, and a lot of people have similar music tastes because of that reason,” Breedlove said.

Religion also plays an important role in the influence of music. Many religions use music in churches or other places of worship to connect with their beliefs. In a religious setting, many