Let me introduce you to my friend and former student, Brian Raine. He is now a highly sought after freelance musician in the city of Edmonton. He also produces and mixes albums for bands in the city that require his knowledge and expertise.
Brian was a hard worker in high school. Yes, inevitably there was some natural talent, but for the most part Brian made giant strides on any instrument he touched through an innate curiosity in music and an extreme willingness to learn. That carried over into Grant MacEwan University where he got his bachelor degree of music in performance.
Here's a shot of me and Brian back when he was in High School Band.
He's recently released an album for his solo project Ways in Waves and also produced and played on the new Mallory and the Mystics album. Here's a link to his solo project music:
Anyways, in this video chat, Brian and I discuss the inroads that Brian has made in music and how he's been able to forge a reasonable career path in a very challenging time for the industry as a whole. We chat about what it's been like to be a freelance musician (musician for hire) and also his fondness for high school band that kept him grounded and focused and also enabled him to develop lifelong friendships.
Anyways, it's always nice to check in on former students and see what they have been up to but it's even more important to realize the impact that music can have on your life and the importance and impact of the arts programs in schools. ENJOY! It's a long discussion and very detailed at times but worth every second of your time.