ShelbyGerken

Got Music? Well three seniors, Mia Ramirez, Riya Kumar and Safiyah Taylor do. These students are all involved in their own bands outside of school. Ramirez and Kumar joined their bands through a program called Blues Ed, while Taylor is involved through School of Rock Omaha. 

“I got involved through my choir teacher, Ms. Reddel. She was in [Blues Ed] when she was in high school. Blues Ed [is] through the Blues Society of Omaha,” Ramirez said. High schoolers around the Omaha metro area can “basically just audition, and if you get in, then you are placed in one of four bands. She inspired me to do it and so I tried,” singer of Us and Them, Ramirez said. 

Vocalist of The Redwoods, Kumar said,“I wanted to join because I’ve always loved to sing, but I’ve never looked at blues in specific, it’s never been a genre that I had been super into. I also wanted more performance experience and to just learn how to be more comfortable on stage and learn about stage presence as well.” 

Being a Marian student and being committed to a band is no easy feat. Depending on the amount of performances or number of songs the band has to rehearse, members can meet two to three times a week with as much as 5-hour days. 

“I practice daily, especially because I am in the house band. We have performances either once or twice a week, sometimes two performances in a day. So I practice about an hour and a half to two hours on the drums, and then an hour on the keyboard a day; it really just depends on how many songs I have,” keyboardist and drummer of School of Rock, Omaha’s house band, Taylor said. 

While Kumar and Ramirez have been involved in music most of their lives, Taylor is new to the music scene. 

“I started a year ago, so I’ve only been drumming and playing keyboard for a year. I did play violin in fourth grade, but I didn’t like it as much, so I didn’t think music would be a big thing in my life until after the piano,” Taylor said. At School of Rock, anyone can “sign up, and they have classes for everyone,” Taylor said. By stepping out and trying something new, these students have grown in more than one way. 

“[I’ve] definitely [grown] my confidence with singing. I don’t think if you asked me a yearago to sing alone, I’d be able to do it. But now I am 100% confident in singing and my voice,” Ramirez said.  

“I think [being in a band] just really expanded the music that I listen to in general,” Kumar said. “I’ve learned to appreciate older music because a lot of the music we perform is from the 1900s and that’s just something I’ve never been exposed to,” Kumar said. “Also, just understand that performing is not about me, but it’s about everyone else and how I can convey my emotions to the audience through a song that didn’t even come from me,” Kumar said. 

“Before, [I] was always scared because I didn’t want people to think I’m doing bad, and I think I’ve kind of let that go,” she said. 

“I’ve gotten more talkative. I used to be very shy, and I still am, but performing on stage used to be my least favorite thing to do. But now, I love performing on stage and it makes my day,” Taylor said. 

As these seniors prepare for the future, they will remember the people they’ve met and the lessons they’ve learned through these valuable experiences. Kumar and Taylor have their next performances on Sept. 2.

Ramirez looks to the future saying, “I hope I can continue to do music in the future and continue to participate in ensembles, choirs and bands when I’m older. Maybe even start learning instruments and playing on my own.” All three agree that music will definitely be a part of their lives forever.