The
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Tiger HI-LINE
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
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Volume 53 Edition 22
CF students create own music The recent pops concerts have highlighted the many musical talents of CFHS students, but one still that may have gone overlooked is that many of these same students have also developed talents in writing the songs they perform. Evan Fairbanks, a senior who has been in a few bands and has even recorded two CDs, writes all kinds of music. “I have so much respect for nearly every genre that I just end up borrowing elements from all of them,” Fairbanks said. Fairbanks just loves writing music that can’t be labeled. “I don't like labeling my music because once you declare yourself to be a certain genre then you can get trapped and just end up limiting yourself, when in reality, music is selfexpression and nobody just feels one emotion their whole lives. The songs should be spectral,” Fairbanks said. Inspiration for music can come from anywhere. Sophomore John Nicol also loves to write his own music. He has written seven songs, including "You," "Papa's Song" and "Resolutions." “Probably my favorite song I've written would be called "Spotlight." My favorite lyrics I’ve ever written are from this song. They are, ‘I've been told and told, don't follow the broken road, but I went anyway.’ I wrote it after I had been told that music probably won't get me anywhere in life. I decided that I need to write a song to prove them wrong, and that's the theme of the song,” Nicol said. Fairbanks said he draws ideas from many sources. “Inspiration is everywhere. Literally everything in my life is inspiring in some way to write music. A lot of my music is written based on poems that I've made, but everything works. I'll draw a picture based on how the music makes me feel, and that'll
give me an idea for lyrics. Anything can be a song as long as it's passionate and powerful in some way,” Fairbanks said. Performing can be a really terrifying yet exhilarating experience. Especially performing original music. Junior Abigail Rowland wrote and performed an original song at the pops concert this year. “I wanted to perform the song because I wanted to dedicate the song to all the seniors, who I’m going to miss a lot next year. Performing it was a little scary. I had never played in front of so many people before singing my own song. Rowland got the inspiration for the song when she had to move away the summer before her sophomore year. “The name of the song is ‘you taught me how to dance,’ and I wrote it for all my friends in Colorado right before we moved away to Iowa,” Rowland said. Some students have found the songwriting process to be challenging. “Recently I've had trouble putting chords to go with the lyrics I write, but usually it's more difficult the other way around, putting lyrics with the chords. I would also say that another difficulty would be persevering. I often come up with a great set of lyrics, but then just give up on the song because I can't think of any more. Then it gets lost, or I forget about it. I hate when that happens,” Nicol said. Perseverance is key in writing music. “There's always that song that you just can't get to sound the way that you want it to. It just doesn't quite have that punch or that hook or that feeling that you want it to possess, but challenging yourself is always rewarding. Once you master a new technique or style, it's so amazing to realize how much you've improved,” Fairbanks said. Music can always connect with people in some way. “You shouldn't
worry about if somebody else might or might not understand it because it's abstract or really personal. The song is about what you're trying to convey, and there will be people who can connect with it. I mean, we've never been cheated on by any of Taylor Swift's exboyfriends, but we still feel for her when she sings about them,” Fairbanks said. All three of these students have a passion for music. “Music is how you amplify Submitted Photo your feelings in a positive Senior Evan Fairbanks has written songs for a number way. If you're of projects, including this band that is a member of. happy, you so incredible, and performing your own play happy songs and feel better. If you're sad or angry, you play sad or an- songs live is one of the greatest feelings gry songs and feel better. Writing mu- ever. Even if the crowd thinks you suck, they're wrong, because you rock. That's sic is a way to explain yourself in a way that.” that can't really be explained. You just feel it, and it feels so right,” Fairbanks By Staff Writer Lauren said. “The fact that you're creating NICKERSON something that you can be proud of is
After months of rehearsal, it’s showtime for the two jazz bands and two concert bands. The band pops concert will be held on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m in the high school gym. “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Shrek Dance Party” and “Feeling Good,” which features CFHS graduate Rhys Talbot singing, are only a few of the many songs the band has been preparing for over two months. “Both of the bands have been sight
reading different music for a couple months now. Then we voted and decided which pieces we would be most excited to play. In one of the songs, there is some sweet choreography, so we have been preparing a lot for that,” senior Julie Doyle said. The most rewarding part of the pops concert for band students is the outcome of all the hard work put into preparing for it. “We generally put our pops repertoire together in a month, so getting it
to sound really good in a few months is always a challenge, but it is super rewarding when you play it and it sounds great. The applause afterwards is also awesome,” senior Bennett Ford said. The pops concert wouldn’t be as much of a success without the audience. “The best part of the show is always the interaction with the crowd. It’s awesome to hear when they really connect with a song or when they laugh at the emcees,” Doyle said.
Band pops concert promises fun
“We want to fill up the gym since this is the first year we’re doing one show. We highly encourage everyone to come out and hear two great concert bands as well as our two jazz bands who are really bringing it this year,” Ford said.
By Entertainment Editor Lindsey
DAVIS