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

Erik Widman: My first memories of music are listening to records while spinning around in my parents’ big leather chair when I was two or three years old. We had a piano in our living room which I started playing on my own at a very young age. Later I took formal lessons, but never really learned anything from them because I didn’t understand the music. I started playing music by ear instead and started writing songs. I played music I wanted to play, not music I was told to play. When I was older I picked up other instruments like guitar, drums, bass, and synthesizer. I’m still learning new instruments today; my music education never ends.

I grew up in Sweden, and we had a very good music education program through our school. We had music teachers that offered private lessons at very affordable rates during school hours. They would just come and get us out of class. We also had mandatory music class through ninth grade. In class we would learn to sing, play instruments, and learn about modern and classical music history. I was also lucky enough to have a great guitar teacher who taught me a ton of music theory in jazz, blues, and Swedish folk music. I incorporate this theory into the pop music that I write today, and I think that is what makes our sound unique. Because of this we have a different approach to song writing than most rock bands do.

Kent Widman: Most of my music education came when I lived in Sweden. The music departments in schools are bigger over there, with a wide variety of instruments and styles of music for students to learn. Even outside of school, there were a lot of events for young musicians to participate in and learn about the performance aspect of music. I was fortunate to take advantage of these opportunities. The biggest difference I notice is that they nurture musician right from the beginning and even when they are professionals. It is the government’s responsibility to provide music education outside of school as well.

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