By Tristan Latham ‘23
Music has always played a large role in my life. I’ve played electric guitar since I was in 1st grade and have always loved classic rock and heavy metal. When I came to Pomona, I knew I would continue to follow these interests but with the greater access of the college I wanted to do a little more.
Since I’ve gotten here, I have been able to rediscover music in a few different ways. For one, every person I’ve met has a completely different taste, so I’ve been able to learn of a plethora of new artists and genres. My friend introduced me to an awesome experimental band called Tangerine Dream, and we even found one of their LP’s at Rhino Records in downtown Claremont! I also learned about a band called Igor from my roommate, which combines heavy metal and baroque music. On top of that, I constantly hear singing voices or the sound of a grand piano floating through the hallways of my dorm, which just brightens my day.
I’ve also been able to participate in a few KSPC radio events here on campus already and am training to become an on-air DJ next semester. As a newcomer to the station I have been completing my training over the course of the semester. So far I’ve learned how to operate the sound board, microphones, and CD and record players to play music from KSPC’s extensive library. Back home, listening to the radio while driving down the highway was one of my favorite things to do, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of it in studio.
Another of my passions, and one of the bigger reasons I love music so much, is playing guitar, so I wanted to continue to learn and improve while in college. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any electric guitar lessons with the music department but I could take classical ones. Learning classical guitar has made me appreciate the instrument in a completely different way. Learning to finger-pick and read sheet music has challenged me to rethink how to play and write music on the guitar. The wider neck of the classical guitar has made me be more precise with how I play songs and use my body more effectively. Thanks to the awesome Jack Sanders I have fallen in love yet again with the instrument I grew up playing.