I knew what my Zenith Project was going to be before I even knew I would be going to freestyle.

You see I haven’t always lived in california. I grew up in a middle class, suburban neighborhood smack in the middle of Fairfax Virginia. Too far to go to Ocean City over the weekend yet close enough to D.C that the White House was on everyone’s list of historic landmarks in third grade.

There I met Matt Rodriguez in Freshman year. While everyone else aspired to be like there lawyer father, business associate mothers, or become the next government employee, I couldn’t bare to think of my future being confined to a desk with trivial papers to sign and mountains of memos to read. Matt Rodriguez was a friend who quickly gave me the courage to pursue music more solidly than I already was.

Moving to Mountain View my world quickly expanded into what it is now. I found a very serious passion for music and the impact it could have on the world around someone. For this reason I chose to create an album. I have always wanted to but it was senior year that I found the time and possibility to do so with freestyle.

I researched much about my topic in order to proficiently provide a basis for the work I had set out to complete. I researched vinyl and why records were coming and why the 21st century youth seemed to be so enthralled by an outdated audio form. What I found was that it wasn’t so much the records that consumers were attracted to but what the format had provided. The format of vinyl, gave listeners an interactive experience and gave the consumer something tangible and unique which lended them closer to their preferred artists. This was very helpful information in my project because it gave me something to try and cater to at the show I had.

In the show I had I made sure to add a physical element by giving people free pins, earplugs to wear and pass around, as well as seperate links to follow our band. I feel this array of interaction with my audience was key in making the show an enjoyable and memorable event.

I also feel as though the amount of collaboration that went into my project made the show that much more enjoyable. I not only collaborated with Kevin Murray to write and perform the music but I collaborated with other bands, and people over the music. I had three family members help with the social media pages, Luke Davies help with the music production, Hannah Pang collaborate with me on the artwork, Nick Ross collaborate with me on posters and decorations, Bird Caravan perform at the show, and finally, Kevin murray collaborated with me on the music and performance.

If I had more time or a second chance at doing the project I probably would have given myself a lot more time to actually write the music or would have diligently been working on it earlier on. I also would have begun planning the show earlier so that there were more chances to invite people and people had more of a chance to plan for the actual show.

In the end, I feel people definitely got what was intended from this project. I don’t know how clear it was for everyone, but two of the songs in this album are dedicated and were written for the children at Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School. I think I appropriately and respectfully paid tribute and condolence to the lives lost and trauma induced by the incident and that’s all I really hoped I could do. I hope to change and give meaning to lives and experiences through my music and I feel I did that in the show I had and the performances I gave.

This is my proudest achievement through out my zenith project as it directly reflects the life I hope to have later on in college and afterwards. There have been many times in my life that music, friends, family, and community members were the source of hope and passion in my life and this entire project was the start of a professional career where I repay the kindness others have shown me.

 

 

Below you will find a link to a fundraiser page for the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Have of all proceeds made by this project will be donated to this page. Thank you for everyone who donates and any support from the community.

https://www.gofundme.com/stonemandouglasvictimsfund