Written by Isa Pierry
Apt in six different instruments (piano, clarinet, guitar, saxophone, trumpet, and drums), senior Justin Suquilanda is a music lover and musician at his core. Starting Rye Country Day School in 7th grade, Suquilanda has always felt that the Music Department has been an essential part of his education in the Middle and Upper School.
As a senior, many of his classes are in the Performing Arts Center such as AP Music Theory, Wind Ensemble, Choir, and most recently, the winter musical. Although Suquilanda has received considerable exposure to the realm of music, he reflected that he had never sung and danced on stage in a musical format. Eager to explore this new branch of the Music Department, one that overlaps with the Drama Department, Suquilanda felt that with the help of his castmates, “the musical has become one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at RCDS.”
Starting at age seven, Suquilanda began taking piano lessons. Although he initially was not excited about the class, he reflected that “gradually, something shifted to where I started to seek music out on my own. I now wanted to pick up multiple new instruments and rather than cringe at the thought of music lessons, I actually requested them.” Soon after, he found some punk rock he enjoyed, discovered a few cassette tapes, and “spiraled down the world of alternative music and it’s been chaos ever since.” Suquilanda found his passion for alternative music and has taken it to the next level in his free time.
At his home, Suquilanda produces his own music with a simple setup: an audio interface, a few microphones, a MIDI keyboard, speakers, and a computer. He has recorded a few times on analogue cassette tapes over the years, which he said has been a very challenging but rewarding experience. Suquilanda’s productions usually do not fall under the typical conventions of a song structure as he thinks of his art as “a soundtrack for a film that does not exist, and I am simply decorating space.” He reflected on how he emphasizes what textures and concepts can indicate an aesthetic motif that exists outside of the confines of music, like a certain environment or era in history. To do so, he uses sample CDs from the 2000s or a specific time period he wants to evoke, ensuring that the drum machine he is programming is “historically” accurate.
Outside of school, Suquilanda is also involved in his town’s local scene and works as a music teacher for piano and guitar, helping guide others in their artistic journeys. This helps him “better understand why art is so important to have in our lives.”
Although Suquilanda is an avid musician, he does not shy away from other fields and hobbies. He has a strong interest in the history of fashion and appreciates how the field overlaps with music subgenres and culture. Furthermore, Suquilanda’s favorite subject in school is English. His homeroom teachers, Mr. Kyle and Dr. Freitas, both also English teachers, have had a monumental influence on him. He reflected, “Whether it be course selection to music nerding out, I am very fortunate to have Mr. Kyle as my advisor and Dr. Freitas has challenged me to think about writing in more ways than I thought were possible.” Having taken Dr. Freitas’ Environmental Literature Seminar and currently taking Dystopian, Suquilanda stated, “his English Seminars are quite the environment to be in; I have never felt more confused yet completely engrossed in a topic as when I am in one of his classes.”
Looking ahead, Suquilanda hopes to continue his artistic journey as a music minor at the Oxford College of Emory University and combine it with his interest in English and writing. He hopes to “be able to write both a soundtrack and script for a film in which they work effortlessly together.” His piece of advice to all students is to “never stop meeting new people and always do so with empathy. I always get a sense of wonder when I meet someone and think ‘Your life is entirely unique in a way that I will never be able to fully understand it.’ And that is ok.”
Watch out for his posts in the Senior Lounge where he puts up “Album of the Week.” In the meantime, here is a list of his favorite five songs he recommends to readers:
- “Pagan Poetry” by Björk
- “Camaleón” by Soda Stereo
- “Polaris” by Parannoul
- “愛の実験 (Ai no Jikken)” by Lily Chou-Chou
- “Paper Airplanes, Paper Hearts” by Everyone Asked About You
RYE CROP 