Listening to music can often be soothing. The lyrics can speak to you, the beats flow in and out of your brain. Imagine actually playing the music to soothe yourself. Students and teachers here at Antioch Community High School play and perform many different instruments to not only calm themselves, but to speak their mind.

Freshman James Pogue got involved in music because of his father and his brother. His father was an avid piano player, and his older brother played music for him that started his love for music. Pogue played piano and clarinet, but found his true passion when he began playing the bass guitar in sixth grade.

“Before it was a hobby, but from that day forward, it was a life style,” said Pogue.

Pogue went on to perform Christian music at his church, write rap beats for other artists and he became involved in the metal bands around the town.

“Music has taken me to a lot of concerts and into people’s homes. When I meet somebody who plays an instrument we often times make plans to jam out sometime later in that week. It is almost always a great experience,” said Pogue.

Music has not only brought Pogue to meet people, but it has also brought him feelings different from any other.

“With every chord change and beat I just knew that there was nothing else like it, and the love that I had for it could not be matched by anything. That love and feeling of excitement I get every time I hear a truly magnificent song empowered me to start creating my own music in hopes that one day I could make somebody feel the same way that all my favorite songs make me feel,” said Pogue.

Far from rap beats and metal music, senior James Novak and spanish teacher Carolyn Greico find their musical serenity from singing classical music.

After starting private voice lessons in second grade, Novak realized a true passion that would carry him the rest of his life.

“It’s kind of my escape from reality. People always say, ‘where would I be without music?’ I can definitely tell you that music has done so much more for me then I think it has,” said Novak.

He performs his music with choir, in school events like Mr. ACHS and the Variety Show. Music is also a huge part of his life personally.

“Music has taught me how to be myself. We look at the media and see music idols today: Miley, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. Each one of them unique, yet each one of them portray similar messages. Just be yourself. I give music the credit for helping me be the person I am today,” said Novak.

Greico was trained in classical music, but enjoys singing in general. Her music includes art songs, german art songs and she has done some opera. She has been singing as long as she can remember. She joined the choir in grade school. As a sophomore in high school, Greico began taking voice lessons. This led to her becoming a voice major in college. 

“Music is one of the ways I express myself best. When I’m having a difficult time with something emotionally I will sing often or turn to music. I know when I can’t sing; if I’m sick or hurt my voice I’m in a worst mood. It’s a big part of my identity. I am a singer and that’s never going away,” said Greico.

She sings in her church and has been in her church’s rendition of The Sound of Music.

Sophomore Anna Reimer not only enjoys music, but found that she truly needs it for her day to day life. She is involved in the school band and also plays the bass guitar, piano and other instruments.

“Music had captured my attention by seeing how a simple arrangement of notes could portray stories and emotions with out using words. It was simply magnificent what composers could do, I just had to become a part of it,” said Reimer.

Music is not only something that Reimer enjoys doing, but something she uses to help relieve stress, have fun, relax and help her to focus. She uses it as a medicine that helps her day to day life function properly.

“The experience music has given me, has shown me how beautiful something simple, like music, can be. It has given me memories I wouldn’t trade for the world. I have friends in band that I couldn’t live with out. I wouldn’t change my decision to be involved with music at all,” said Reimer. “I tried to quit band and take a study hall. As a couple weeks passed without playing music and my grades began to drop. I was becoming anxious and very stressed. Only until I joined band again that I realized how much music means to me and how much I really need it.”

Pep band is a volunteer band that plays at basketball games. Junior Nicole Hoffman plays saxophone or clarinet for the pep band. She doesn’t stop there, though. She plays guitar, sings and composes. She first began in music when she was six and was in her first musical. She continued doing one musical a year until she was 12. Influenced by her mom’s high school clarinet playing she began playing the clarinet in fourth grade, which really started her passion for playing music. “When I started playing, my mom helped guide and teach me. Not only did she inspire me to pick up that instrument, she also taught me to love it,” said Hoffman.

As a child, Hoffman was a very shy child. After starting in musicals, she was no longer shy. She also has a tight knit group of friends thanks to their shared love of fine arts.

“Music relates back to every aspect of my life. Every single one of my friends is involved in one or multiple fine arts. Learning an instrument has taught me patience, persistence, and dedication. I have learned more about myself than I ever could have imagined,” said Hoffman.

English teacher Jim Hellen was also influenced to begin in music from family members. His grandfather was a professional harmonica player, and Hellen received his first harmonica when he was five years old. His parents also encouraged his love for music by taking young Hellen to music festivals, constantly playing music at family get togethers, in church, and playing it in their home.

Hellen also plays the ukulele, guitar, piano and other instruments. He met his wife in college after she watched him perform. He’s also met Buddy Guy. Two summers ago he played the Chicago Blue’s Fest, one of the biggest blues festivals in the world.

“I use music as a form of relaxation and a form of introspection. When I write music and song lyrics I’m usually trying to say something beyond boy meets girl,” said Hellen.

Music is important to people in many different ways. Whether it be singing, composing, or playing an instrument, music has a huge impact on people’s lives for many different reasons.

“Music has a way of tapping into our feelings in a different way then most things. Most forms of art have a different way, but I think that everyone can relate to some level to some kind of music. That helps people to both express themselves better, that they can’t in other ways. Also, to make sense of their own emotions when they hear certain music to understand what’s going on inside of them,” said Greico.