Inspired by the beat

teaching drums, guitar and piano at the Music Academy in Sun Valley for six years.

dedicated in what he is doing,” Dexter said. “I see him being very successful in the future.”

After pulling out his favorite instrumemt from the music room, he set it on the grass and began to play.

A little bit nervous in the beginning, he warmed up and then slowly hit the marimba with four yarn mallets, two in each hand.

Once relaxed, his hands moved quickly and freely. He closed his eyes and played the first song he composed himself, in the memory of his cat named Cleo.

“Cleo” was a jazz piece, a bit dark and mysterious, yet soothing and comforting to the ears.

Pierce College student Emerson Wahl is a percussionist who graduated with an associate’s degree in drums from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood in 2011. He is currently taking general education classes at Pierce, and then plans to transfer as a music major by this fall.

At the age of 22, Wahl has been

He has been studying and playing percussion instruments ever since he was a child. His family played a big role in his interest in music and instruments.

“When I was 8 years old, during Hanukkah my family surprised me with a drum set,” Wahl said, “and that’s when it all began.”

Wahl plays a number of instruments including the Marimba, xylophone, bass drums and piano, just to name a few.

“My biggest inspiration was the Beatles. I still remember going to the beach with my family and we would always have the Beatles songs playing in the car,” said Wahl.

Not only his family, but his best friend since third grade was there for Wahl throughout his life.

Taylor Dexter, who is currently on tour with a band called Hunters Hunted, also graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood with an associate’s degree in drums.

“We played drums growing up, and Emerson was always very

Wahl and Dexter grew up playing instruments together, and in high school they created a band called the Unborn, which consisted of five members, where Wahl played the drums.

“We played rock ‘n’ roll and metal. It was great and I loved it,” Wahl said as his smile began to fade away. “But toward college, everyone went their separate ways, it’s tough to keep a group of people together.”

That’s when Wahl became interested in orchestral percussion.

“In orchestra, everyone is auditioning to get into the orchestra, and everybody wants it so bad, so you never have any doubts that it’s going to break up, like the band,” said Wahl.

As of now, Wahl is pursuing his dream of playing orchestral percussion. “For those who don’t know, percussion is anything you hit,” said Wahl, “and I want to be in an Orchestra and play all the percussion instruments.”

“He is very fine, very enthusiastic and learns very easily. I am sure he will do great wherever he goes,” said Steve Piazza, band director of the Pierce College Symphonic Winds.

Wahl is currently taking 15 units at Pierce College, and he plans to transfer by the end of this semester. He is waiting for acceptance from UCLA and the music department of CSUN.

“When I play percussion, I feel really cathartic,” Wahl said, as he slowly stopped playing his marimba and placed all four of the yarn mallets down.