Music: A Universal Language

Shelbi Ankiewicz, Editor

One thing people all have in common is a love for music.

A main event that brings music and people together are concerts. We, as students, attend concerts as a way to hang out and spend time with each other. Little do we realize, students are not the only ones who enjoy live music. Teachers love music, too.

“The best part of concerts is the camaraderie between all the attendees. It doesn’t really matter who you are, how old you are, what demographic you are – at a concert you’re all there as one for the joy of the music, and that is definitely what is so powerful and beautiful about music,” said Jen Hodges, one of our art teachers.

Students and teachers are more alike than we think.

Mr. Bailey, Assistant Principal, has attended over 100 concerts in his lifetime. He and his wife attend concerts every summer and other times throughout the year, if time is available.

“When you go to a concert, everyone there has something in common. We are all there for the same reasons. No stress, no worries, just there for the music. Bob Marley wrote in his song, Trenchtown Rock, ‘when the music hits you, you feel no pain,’” shared Mr. Bailey.

We asked various teachers who they have seen in concert, who they would like to see, and what their favorite part is about attending concerts.

  • Mrs. Sellers (English) enjoys 80’s and 90’s rock. She has seen KISS and Metallica in concert with the dream of seeing Ozzy Osborne.
  • Mr. Kizer (Science) listens to mostly reggae and alternative music and his favorite part about attending concerts is people watching.
  • Mr. D’Egidio (Math) enjoys classic rock. He has watched Journey and Michael Stanley Band in concert, and would love to see Elton John.
  • Mrs. Scott (English) enjoys almost all types of music. Her favorite concert was the Eagles simply because of the atmosphere. It was at an outdoor venue in Atlanta.
  • Mrs. Hucks (Math) listens to classic rock. She has seen Led Zepplin and Elton John in concert. A group that she would love to see is the Rolling Stones.
  • Mrs. McHugh (Special Ed) listens to mostly 80’s rock. She has seen U2 and THE THE live. She loves attending concerts because the energy from the crowd is so strong, it feels electric.
  • Ms. Twigg (English) loves all kinds of music. Many of her road trips involve concerts. She and her daughters attend at least three concerts each year. Her favorites so far are Journey, KISS and Train.
  • Mrs. Dixon (Guidance Counselor) has seen five or more artist in concert. Her favorite part about live music is the energy from the performers and the audience.
  • Mrs. McKnight (Administrator) enjoys R&B and Neosoul music. She would have loved to have seen Amy Winehouse because she is a powerful, soulful singer.
  • Mrs. Stroud (Spanish) saw Guns-N-Roses with Tesla as her first concert. She enjoys live music because everyone there has an appreciation for great music that brings them all together as one.
  • Mrs. Weaver (English) has attended well over 200 concerts. She would have loved to have seen QUEEN live. She continues to attend concerts because the music never fails to make everyone forget their troubles and enjoy the now.
  • Ms. Sage (Science) listens to rock music. Her favorite concerts have been Elton John and Michael Franti.
  • Mr. Fernandez (Spanish) has attend the Hang Out Music Fest and Vans Warped Tour. He would love to see Lil Peep just so he can brag to his students about it.
  • Mrs. Dutka (Art) saw Justin Timberlake in concert. She and her best friend had floor seats, which at one point Justin was dancing right over them!
  • Mrs. Niles (Science) enjoys all types of music besides country. Some artists she has seen is U2, Coldplay, The Killers, among many others.
  • Mrs. Scott (English) would of loved to seen Bob Marley and Tupac. She enjoys concerts because of the sounds, the vibes, and the artistry.
  • Mrs. Moore (Math) listens to all music, but enjoys country the most. She has seen Garth Brooks and Hootie and the Blowfish in concert.
  • Mr. Antolak (Government and Econ) does not enjoy concerts due to the loud noises. But he still listens to music, such as blues and jazz.
  • Mrs. Jones (Yearbook) would love to see Madonna in concert. She enjoys listening to the live music of songs because it shows raw talent.
  • Mrs. Hodges (Art) enjoys all types of music except disco! She has seen probably around 100 artists in concert.
  • Ms. Miller (Science) likes all types of music depending on her mood. She enjoys live music because when she and her friends are singing, no one can hear how terrible they sound.  
  • Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Sage, and Mrs. Niles all would like to see Bruno Mars live.

The love for music is in everyone. Talk to a teacher about their concert experiences, or hobbies they enjoy. There is more to them than just being an educator.