Many of PYPO’s students have gone on to become leaders in their own musical communities, either through music education, performance, or composition. Our next two #impactstories feature alumni whose early musical experiences in PYPO inspired them to pursue a career in music.
For Casey, violinist and percussionist, PYPO was the perfect place to explore her passion for music and her joy for sharing it with others. “Music is something that I am passionate about, and being a part of community groups like PYPO has helped me to foster that passion.” After her time in PYPO, Casey wanted to turn making music with people into her full time career. “I got into teaching, and now I get to make music with students.” Casey is the Elementary Strings Teacher at Woodland Hills School District and works with marching band programs throughout Allegheny County.
Casey started playing violin at the age of four when her mother, a string teacher, introduced her to the Suzuki method. But when she got to elementary school, her school only had a band program. So while all of her friends were choosing wind and brass instruments, Casey gravitated towards percussion. “I don't have to breathe. I just have to hit things, and not worry about embouchure. I was like, this is perfect for me,” Casey recalls with a laugh. While she chose it for practical reasons, she quickly grew to love it for the variety of instruments and the many parts percussionists get to play.
Casey joined PYPO in 2007 when she was a sophomore in high school. She played both percussion and violin in the Philharmonic Orchestra, and remembers rehearsals as a collaborative and fun musical environment. She learned how to be flexible, listen equally to all parts of the ensemble, and stay calm under pressure. “There might only be three of us [percussionists], so it'd be like, alright, you do this, I do this, you know, and I'll cover this suspended cymbal, and you get that bass drum hit… being able to quickly transition from one instrument to another and not lose count is a skill that I started to develop in my PYPO years,” Casey shared.
L: Casey, second from left, with PYPO faculty, R: Casey performing with PYPO in high school
She has carried the skills she picked up in PYPO with her into her professional career and enjoys passing them on to her own music students. Casey shared that she loves seeing how music can spark a student’s determination. “My favorite thing is when students come to me with a song they’re really excited about playing,” Casey says. Oftentimes, the students might not realize how difficult the piece is until she shows them the music. Their excitement is enough to get them through the challenges, though. “It’s very gratifying to watch students who have the determination to do what’s necessary to learn their music. When they put in the work, they can reach for the fun songs that they really want to learn.”
This commitment and grit that music ignites in students is essential to success in all areas of life, not just in music. It is often through challenges and unexpected barriers that we learn the most about ourselves and discover our true potential.
Her time with PYPO may have been a while ago now, but the enjoyment and love Casey feels for music is as clear to her today as it was when she graduated, especially during the holiday season. “A Christmas Festival [by Leroy Anderson] lives in my heart very dearly… I get chills every time I play it. When I close my eyes, I’m right back at a PYPO rehearsal. I can still remember playing the timpani part,” she reminisces.
“The crazy thing is that looking back, I guess I only did it for three years... But I had such a great time and remember those times so fondly. It seems like it was way more than three years,” Casey shared.
PYPO is a place where each and every student can cultivate their own passion for music and make memories and friendships that last a lifetime. Music connects us all, and for students like Casey it opened the door to a fulfilling career where every day she can share her love of music with others.
Our mission at PYPO is to foster a life-long love of music through creativity, empathy, and excellence, and to create lasting relationships along the way. Casey’s story is just one of many in our thirty years of existence. Help make more stories like this possible by donating today! Head to pypo.org/donate to make a gift and help us reach our goal of raising $15,000 for our young musicians by December 31st.
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