Lazerbeak on Music and Arts Education

How did you get into making music, and how did arts education (or lack thereof) affect you and your music?

I got into making music pretty much because of the band program in my grade school. My folks really wanted me to learn an instrument, and I decided that the saxophone looked pretty awesome. I started in fourth grade and really enjoyed it. I had always really loved music, and it was sweet to be able to actually learn songs (especially the Pink Panther theme, which I totally ruled at). Embarrassing side note: I definitely performed a duet of “A Whole New World” from the Aladdin soundtrack at a sixth grade recital. Yikes. Once junior high started I met a bunch of kids in band that new how to play guitar. I had gotten super into indie rock and so I bought a cheap guitar. It definitely made it a lot easier to figure out since I already had some sense of how music worked from the previous years of band. In the summer going into eighth grade I finally knew the basics enough to start my first and only band. We called ourselves The Plastic Constellations, and we most definitely cut our teeth at school dances and birthday parties. Good times.

This post is part of our 60-hour blogathon in support of music development and literacy within the Twin Cities. We appreciate you visiting the site – but before you go, we ask that you consider clicking the Donors Choose banner below and giving what you can to help enrich the lives of a number of local children through music and reading. Thank you. – Culture Bully