From Green Day to Radiohead, bands have been born from the depths of high school years into a world of music. LASA is just one of these high schools where bands make their start. At LASA, student bands have opportunities to showcase their musical experience and the hard work they put into their music through concerts and musical events.
For LASA sophomore and Heart Market guitarist Savit Verma, he feels that his band is more than what you might experience in a typical high school band. Being in a band with people that you can get to know in a non-academic or competitive environment makes it a different experience from school band or orchestra.
“Well, it’s different because I feel from my past band experiences I haven’t been friends with people I performed with,” Verma said. “These guys I can actually talk to about other stuff besides music, and we were friends before we even formed a band so we’re just altogether more tight.”
The experience of being in a student-run band also differs in terms of commitment, according to senior Jacob Nelson, a drummer for metal band Tomorrow’s Ruin. For Nelson, being in a band in high school is a segway to an eventual music career.
“We care about the music we’re making a lot because we want to make it big,” Nelson said. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure we don’t take any loopholes or easy ways out. We don’t want to play dive bar shows forever. We want to do something to stand out.”
Music and school take commitment, and balancing school with a future career also takes time. While being in high school allows for the opportunity to play music for lifelong, academics can change how an artist spends their time, according to Nelson.
“I do care really deeply about music and I do really want to make this my career,” Nelson said. “So, as soon as I finish my homework, I go home and practice my instrument. I practice the songs I’ve made or think of songs to write, even during school when I have off periods, and every weekend we have band practice and we always write and practice for new things.”
Senior and Royal Academy of Jazz drummer Kir Kraus enjoys the benefits of being in their jazz band when it regards academics. It can be something that helps them be well-rounded, in better control of their free time, and stay up to date with deadlines.
“It’s really a pleasure,” Kraus said. “I have a lot to do, but I make time for it all because music keeps me balanced. It’s a privilege, not a burden.”
School-sponsored events, such as Coffeehouse, can give young artists opportunities to promote their music and spark the formation of bands. Coffeehouse is a student-run concert at LASA where bands, performers, and musicians can perform self-composed or popular music for their fellow peers and LASA staff and faculty. In Verma’s case, Coffeehouse is what precipitated his band’s start.
“Coffeehouse was coming up actually, and I wanted to see if I could try and perform then,” Verma said. “And I had a friend, her name was Anna, and we talked about it and we decided to try to work on music together. That’s probably why we got together in the first place.”
During teenage years, bands have become a common starting point for aspiring musicians. Whether it be through the discovery of music or concert opportunities, high school students have been able to express their creativity and work on future careers and passions.
