Student of the Month: APRIL 2024 Edition
As temperatures rise and the winds kick up here in Albuquerque, spring has arrived! There are two students I would like to share with you who are, like our weather, a gust of fresh air.
Olivia Martino
Allow me to introduce Olivia, piano-playing, guitar-riffing, artist, reader, and writer. This prolific 9-year-old (“practically 10”) loves to learn new skills even if they are hard. In her guitar lessons with Ken, her favorite song so far has been “Space Captain” by Herbie Hancock. The reason this is her favorite is because it was really hard. I mean, like really hard. She had to learn the F chord, which ended up being a challenging undertaking. For Olivia, it feels good to accomplish difficult tasks. It is like beating a nemesis.
Ken admires her constant positivity and passion for music. He, too, has observed that Olivia is always up for a challenge and does not get discouraged by new or difficult ideas. Says Ken, “Being Olivia's teacher brightens every lesson and reminds me how necessary true passion and enjoyment is in order to grow as both a musician and a person.”
Music, to Olivia, is incredible because you can create anything you want (similar to her passions for art and writing). Music can be crazy or it can be calm. It has energy and power. “Music,” says Olivia, “is music for your ears.”
Sofia Shriver
Sofia is a 15-year-old student who is all about creativity. When she is not writing songs or singing, she can be found drawing or painting (portraits are her favorite subject). A lover of Indie/Folk music, such as Adrianne Lenker, she enjoys the freedom of music. It allows her to express her feelings without implicitly saying it all out loud.
Sofia is currently taking vocals lessons with Shane and is in the middle of her first Band League experience. Shane has been impressed with how quickly Sofia has progressed in her ability. In particular, Shane enjoys how Sofia finds purpose through music: “Sofia has excellent taste in music, and it's because of how much she cares about the music itself. She has never asked to do a song that lacks purpose or an emotional core. Her connection to the music and the art that she creates is powerful.” Shane has witnessed both personal and musical growth over the past year of lessons and is inspired by her developing confidence.
Whether it is writing a new song, aspiring to the vocal stylings of Ariana Grande, or participating in a school musical, we can’t wait to see what comes next for Sofia!
- Danielle Parker