California artists Blink 182 burst on to the rock music scene in 1999 with their smash hit ‘All the Small Things’. Trust me when I say that you’ve heard it. Twenty years later and the band has had more hits and success around the world. They are on tour right now, and just played my beloved Fenway Park a few nights ago. Some of my loyal readers were at the show.
I am not writing a Blink love column today. I am writing about something awesome that Blink and many other famous bands do: share the big stage with up and coming bands, giving them a chance to grow, taste the spotlight and add to their fanbase. I have met a few musicians in my life that are considered “world famous” and all of them have been wonderful people. It does my heart good to know that humans who have been given the gift of fame and fortune are not all jerks and egotists. They, like us, put their pants on one leg at a time and seem to realize that as quickly as the spotlight comes, it can vanish. Have I met any members of Blink 182? No. But……
In my teaching career, I was blessed to share my love of music with thousands of kids. Many, many of them had a lot of talent and ability. A few of them could shine without practicing much, and a number that I can count on one hand were gifted.
My music teacher friends and I throw the “gifted” word around as a joke or when we think it’s overused. I would estimate that 30-40% of parents claimed to me that their child was “gifted” in music. My favorite was when a mom or dad said “Oh, my kid just GETS music. They just GET it.” I have been studying my instrument (drums) for 40 years and I still don’t know what that means. I guess I don’t GET IT. (pun intended).
I met my first gifted student in the fall of 1999. I still clearly remember watching this young man hold drumsticks and play like he was born to do it. He had natural flow through his fingers, wrists, and when he used his middle, ring, and pinky to control the natural rebound when the stick strikes the drum, he was fully in control of it. Most kids start with a bad habit of not even having those back fingers around the stick, or they use all arm and pound on the drum instead of bending the wrist. This kid was doing all of the right things to develop proper technique without me even showing him. I had never seen this before with a student so young. Sixth grade with hands like this? One in a thousand kids….maybe less. He also struck any drum he hit with grace and a gentle touch, allowing him a smooth drumroll, which is very difficult for the young percussionist to do well. I was blown away. The kid also read music well and understood it quickly. I was excited to meet his parents on conference day and when they said he was showing a big interest (at age 10) about learning more, I eagerly extended my willingness to give him private lessons at my home studio once a week for 30 minutes. So began a wonderful relationship between teacher and student. He ate up most everything I gave him every week and soon he was also learning timpani, mallet percussion, and drum set. He auditioned for, and was in the honors jazz ensemble, he made all district band for NH, and in high school also made the all-state NH concert band, while beginning to write original music and play in bands of differing musical styles.
He continued to study with me, expanding his lessons to one hour weekly, while also mentoring younger kids and talking with me about a music career. He attended and graduated from The Berklee School of Music in Boston and continued to learn, refine, and practice his craft. In short, the music bug got deep into his soul and he followed it as far as it would take him. This leads me to the point of today’s writing:
This evening, playing drums for his band Astronoid, my student Matt St. Jean will be an opening act for Blink 182 at The New Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Matt will likely be on stage in front of 10,000 people and I could not be more proud of him. Blink, giving a nod to a young, upcoming band, has gracefully given space to Matt’s band for 9 dates on the current link of their larger tour. Astronoid plays Philly tonight and then will travel to D.C., South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Kansas City. (Alexis, want tickets and backstage? Let me know…) I had a small part in Matt’s love of music and all things drums. You could say that I tried to do All the Small Things to allow him to approach the art the same way I was taught: with discipline, awe and wonder, while playing to enjoy and bring joy to others. As I write this, I feel like a proud parent. I have asked Matt to keep me posted while he is on the road. I’ll share more stories and photos as they become available. Go get ’em kid. Enjoy the moment.
Stay safe, stay awesome and stay tuned.
Patrick moeschen 