MUSIC IS MY PASSION

By Toni West

Justin Firmeza ’20 has been influenced by many styles of music including gospel, R&B, and jazz. During his time at Moreau Catholic, you could find Justin sharing his musical talents in Campus Ministry, as part of the MCHS Band and Orchestra, or delivering a TEDx Talk, “The ‘Key’ to Great Artistry”, in which he reflects on his artistic journey and tells his audience about finding their own unique artistry.

He also spends time playing and creating beautiful music with his mentor, slack-key guitarist Patrick Landeza. Patrick, who is currently the Community Outreach Coordinator at Moreau Catholic, introduced Justin to the beautiful music of Hawaii. As a member of Patrick Landeza and Sons, Justin fell in love with Hawaiian music. He has performed up and down the West Coast, Hawaii, and had a reoccurring stint at Yoshi’s Oakland. A lifelong learner, Justin has recently picked up the steel guitar.

When he is not on stage with Landeza and Sons, Justin can be found teaching jazz improvisation and percussion at Moreau Catholic High School, working as a sound engineer, providing music for Moreau’s Campus Ministry Team, playing piano at church, performing in a variety of jazz groups, and playing as a solo artist in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are glad to have Justin continue to share his gifts and talents with our Mariner family!