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| Two seniors share love
for music, work is challenging |
Stephanie
Marshall
Entertainment Beat |
Jacque Lenz | The Appalachian
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After withstanding
the music program for four years, seniors C. Dan Wyke and Rodney
C. Money know what a challenge it is to be a music major.
They have learned that to excel in the program,
the Broyhill Music Center has to become a home away from home.
“It’s your second home, if not your
first home, where your other home being your second home,”
music education major Wyke of Charlotte said. |
“The
difference between our majors and other people’s major is that
music majors always have something to do, whether it’s practice
or improving on something,” senior music performance and education
major Money of King said.
These two did not just jump into music but have been working at
it since childhood.
Wyke said his music career started when he was around 4 years old.
“My grandparents really started me out because I lived with
them on the weekends,” Wyke said. “My grandma started
me playing the piano, having me play simple little things, nothing
difficult at all.”
As a child, Wyke said his musical curiosity is what inspired him
to start playing other instruments, including his personal love,
the trumpet.
Wyke said his father brought out his trumpet and Wyke wanted to
learn how to play it, so his father taught him the simple basics
of how to play.
Playing trumpet for 13 years now, Money’s musical influence
also came from a family member.
“My sister was in band before I was, and she got me into music,”
Money said. “I started out on the trumpet because her best
friend played it and she could give me lessons.”
“The composing side of my major was brought on by a lot of
internal emotions that needed to be let out,” Money said.
Wyke and Money have both continued their careers in music since
childhood, feeling like it was something they wanted to do with
the rest of their lives.
“I feel like I was called to do it and nothing else would feel
right,” Wyke said. Wyke is a very hard worker that has a great
work ethic, assistant professor Dr. William L. Jones said.
“It feels like a calling from God and I feel like I need to
leave this world a better place,” Money said.
Money is able to communicate the spirit of music with his enthusiasm
and creativity, Jones said.
“Both students have their strong points, being both personable
and charming,” Jones said.
Despite being hard workers, there have been times when both Wyke
and Money have felt like they were not getting anywhere and were
just spinning their wheels.
“Our classes are really hard and at difficult times you think,
‘do I really want to do this,’” Wyke said.
Yet with motivation and friends pushing and encouraging, they keep
with it.
Money said his motivation comes from the feeling that kids today
do not know how to express themselves, and he wants to change the
system, helping them to learn how.
Wyke, once done with his career here, hopes to go into the master’s
program either here or at another music school.
“I plan on teaching high school band, running a comprehensive
band program,” Wyke said.
Wyke said he hopes to eventually become a college music professor
that teaches the trumpet or become director of bands one day.
Money, after his time here at Appalachian, wants to do many things,
including get his works published.
“Some day I will go into a master’s program, but right
now I want to start my life,” Money said.
“I want to band direct in a high school and as well set up
music appreciation and music history classes,” Money said.
“Both Dan and I do not think today’s band programs work
and we want to change it,” Money said.
“It is time for new ideas.” |
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