Senior Series: Paul Trainor Q&A

By Christina Lewis Collegian Freelancer

Paul Trainor is a senior majoring in music from Nacogdoches,Texas.

What instruments do you play?

It’s just cello, and really, that’s been my thing. I’ve played it since I was 7. You know, I’ve kind of picked up a few things, dropped a few things since that point, but cello is kind of my one-stop shop.

What made you want to pursue music at Hillsdale?

so creative. I really appreciate creative minds because my mind does not necessarily work like that super easily. That would be surreal.

What’s your favorite genre to play?

I’m a classical musician by temperament. I’m a classical musician by training. It’s what I do.

What’s your favorite song you’ve played so far?

arrangements of popular tunes in the fall of 2022. They have performed at Rough Draft three times since they were initially invited after their debut at Concert On The Quad.

“We do some pop mixes that we arrange and some folk songs. At our last gig, we did some Irish folk songs and some Taylor Swift, so we go all over the place,” VanHeyningen said.

The relaxed vibe is the perfect venue for groups like Tuition and Fees to try out new arrangements and experiment with different styles.

“When we’re arranging pop songs, we’ll be like, ‘I think Rough Draft is the perfect place to try this out,’” VanHeyningen said.

Tizedes and VanHeyningen said they value the opportunity to perform and to listen to their peers outside of a college setting.

I didn’t come here to do music, actually. I came here majoring in physics and math. I had all my high school STEM credits set up, I was doing dual enrollment, I did robotics in high school. Then I came here, and I started the physics track, and I was burning out really quickly. I realized this wasn’t something that I could do long term and be fulfilled. Music has always been there. I think I kind of had my priorities flipped in high school, without really realizing it should have been the other way around. Music is something I can never get tired of doing. You could say it’s accidental, you could say it’s providential, that’s just kind of the way things ended up.

What music groups are you part of on campus?

Sophomore Phoebe VanHeyningen said that attending concerts serves as a great study break.

“It’s really important to support music outside of the academic environment. It’s never something that you’ll come to regret, like ‘oh man, I wish I would have studied as a performer, as the setting is very social,” said Abigail Tizedes, a student artist with more than 16 years of performance experience. “It’s one of the most chill venues I’ve ever performed in.”

Phoebe VanHeyningen, Fiona Mulley, and Emily Griffith began performing three-part

“I think events like these, though small, bring communities together to enjoy something really beautiful,” Tizedes said. “Music touches the soul in a way that no other art can. I think Hillsdale students are aware of this, thus why so many show up to music-oriented events.”