VENTURE STORY: A LIFE IN MUSIC

Isaac Soto, Lead Guitarist. Carl Taylor, Drums. Graham Lampe, Bass. Photos provided by Lampe.

Music is an amazing source of therapy and happiness, and provides another language and way of communication. Music can allow individuals to communicate in ways that sometimes can’t be expressed with words, whether it be emotions, or ideas, all can be shared through music.

Many songs provide firsthand experiences from the artists and convey the emotions they were feeling in these moments, one of my favorite parts about music. I’ve noticed that the music I listen to also tends to sometimes reflect how I’m feeling in that particular moment, and it’s amazing to feel that connection to a specific song in that way.

As an avid listener and performer of music, I have also experienced its impact firsthand. I had the opportunity to be involved in voice/guitar lessons when I was younger (and I’m still taking guitar lessons), and now that I’m graduated from high school I perform in the Symphonic Choir at Mt. Hood Community College as well, which has been super fun and rewarding. These experiences have shaped who I am today. In order to better understand music as a human phenomenon and its importance in our lives, I sat down with several musicians and music educators to see how music has influenced their lives.One individual who has been particularly impacted by music is Danielle Davey, who works as a Director of Bands and Instructor of Music at MHCC.

Davey started her journey with music at a very young age.“Like most young kids, I was excited to choose an instrument to play in beginning band, and for me that was the clarinet. My mom, grandfather and both great grandfathers also played the clarinet, so it was in my blood. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in high school that I knew I wanted to become a band director. I became a section leader in our marching band, and soon after was promoted to Drum Major for two years,” said Davey.

Danielle Davey conducts at March 2020 Winter Concert. Photo provided by Davey.

She continued playing music throughout college as well.“I enjoyed teaching my peers and leading the full band. I come from a long line of band directors, so it seemed like a natural choice. I was always supported by my family and ended up attending the University of Oregon on a clarinet and music education scholarship when I graduated from high school,” she said.“The job opening at MHCC came at a time where I had just finished ten years of teaching High School and Middle School aged students. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with college aged students, especially those who are pursuing a career in music. I felt like I could help our MHCC students navigate the college path. My husband is also a teacher at MHCC, so it seemed like the perfect fit,” said Davey.

“Music is my entire life. If I didn’t start playing clarinet when I was young, I wouldn’t have majored in music education, I wouldn’t have met my husband, I wouldn’t have made all of my best friends, I wouldn’t be teaching at MHCC, and I wouldn’t know my wonderful students! Without music my life would be very strange and empty,” she said.

She also really enjoys traveling with students for trips and concerts.“That’s where memories are made. I hope to be able to do this with our students at MHCC in the future!”

For Graham Lampe, who played in a band and is involved in music, music has also greatly impacted his life.

“Music has impacted me in many ways in all aspects of my life. ever since I was a kid i knew it was what i wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. I always loved the creativity and freeness of it and how endless the possibilities were. It’s such a unique art form in the way that it can evoke such incredible emotions good or bad,” said Lampe.

“To be able to write words that are so wrapped up in metaphor that just reading the words, can take on a zillion different interpretations but when put to music you know exactly what it means. It’s a different world. It’s really quite incredible. No other medium I have been exposed to has come close to what music can do,” he said.

Graham Lampe. Photo provided by Lampe.

Since the first time he picked up a bass in his dad’s store, he knew he wanted to be part of a band someday. “I remember the very moment. I remember saying ‘I’m going to write a song’ that snowballed very quickly,” said Lampe.

Although he’s not currently in a band, he was part of a group called “El Diablo.” “We played shows all throughout high school. The guitar player and founder of the band Isaac Soto, Carl Taylor who played drums and I started it sophomore year. I am moving to New York in the fall to go to The New School in Manhattan and hope to start something good there! I will be playing a lot of shows this summer as a solo acoustic act and playing a bunch of tunes I wrote for eldiablo and a bunch of new tunes that are on my own solo albums,” he said.

“I have a new album out called Sanctity in Solitude out on Spotify and apple music and or wherever else you get your music these days. And Cassette tape too,” he said.“My favorite memory so far has to be an el diablo show a couple years ago at an old house venue called bog house. the aunt putting on shows any more unfortunately but a really great crowd. the biggest mosh pit we had ever seen at a venue that size. I had just found my dad’s old wireless cable rig so I was free to roam around and not worried about a cable to my bass. I wasn’t singing the tune we were playing so I ran into the pit and while playing I was in the middle of the pit and it was insanity! absolute pure indescribable joy. So cathartic. There’s really nothing like it,” he said.

Breanna Ryan, Centennial Middle School Choir Director, has also been greatly impacted by music throughout her life.

“Music is one of the greatest joys of my life. It gives meaning and purpose to my existence and it is what I am called to do,” she said.“Really early on in elementary school, music was always my favorite class. I loved singing, learning instruments then that led me to take private piano lessons. In middle and high school I was both part of my school’s band and choir program. Ultimately it led me to choose the profession I did today, being a choir teacher,” said Ryan.

“I felt music within me ever since I was little. Music class was my favorite from day 1. In high school I knew I wanted to be a choir director. I found so much joy and happiness creating music with others. I learned discipline working on our music to try and perfect something for so long and getting one shot to perform it,” she said.

“Music is a universal language that everyone needs in their lives. I love being silly and goofy with my students, creating inside jokes and laughing at our mistakes. I also love the seriousness and discipline that music demands. We take a song and make it a creation over time,” she said.

She also remembers a special experience with students.

“One year at the final concert, we were singing ‘Remember Me’ from Coco and the 8th graders had all written a card to me of something to remember that year, two girls got up on the mic and shared beautiful statements of how much I had meant to them. As we sang the song 8th graders came up and put their messages in a decorated folder for me to keep. It was extremely touching and well organized. I was completely shocked by their professionalism and heart-felt messages,” said Ryan.

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