The sound of North Greenville
Chase Bridges, Staff Writer
If you’ve ever found yourself walking past the Cline Music Building on the North Greenville campus, you’ve heard the sounds of French horns, clarinets and singing.
An entire building on this campus dedicated to the musically-talented students who come here with the hopes and dreams of becoming musicians, band directors and choir leaders.
We’ve all seen the building, heard the music erupt from inside, and seen these students walk around carrying instruments of various shapes and sizes.
But have you taken the time to learn more about these students who spend their days inside that building and dedicate their lives and education to their art form?
Samuel Thompson is a senior music major from Chesnee, S.C. who specializes in the french horn. Thompson originally fell in love with music after joining the school band in sixth grade.
He played in the school band throughout middle and high school. After he graduated, he was left with a choice: what was he going to do with his life?
“I loved band coming out of high school, and I decided that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” Thompson said.
He has spent the last four years performing in various North Greenville band groups such as the marching band, the pep band and the concert band. All of this experience has given him the opportunity to pursue a career in music education.
When asked why he continues with a music career, Thompson laughed and said, “I’ve spent too much money to switch now.”
What about the other side of the music department? After all, music is not just brass ensembles and marching bands. Singing makes up the entire other half of the major.
Ashleigh Moore, senior voice major, started singing at a very young age. She started getting actual training when she joined the sixth grade choir.
When choosing a major for her college career, she knew she had to be a music major.
“I chose to be a music major because I love music and wanted to get better at singing and performing. It was also the only thing I really knew to major in that I could be fully passionate about,” Moore said.
When speaking about her passion for music, the love she has for the art form shows in her eyes.
“I love music because of how powerful and beautiful it is. There is so much you can say with it, whether there are words or not. It’s a creative outlet. It’s a means of expressing myself that I can’t find with anything else,” Moore said.
As much as she loves music, unlike Thompson, that is not the career she has chosen to pursue after college.
“I am actually working to become a service dog trainer. That is what I really want to do with my life. But I fully plan on continuing music in any way that I can,” Moore explained.
Music is an art form, and it affects the lives of every single person differently. Whether it’s as a career, a hobby, or just as something you listen to when you are driving.
Next time you find yourself walking near the Cline Music Building, take a moment to listen to the sound of North Greenville, and all of the students who create it.
