Music is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about New Ulm. Its German culture is probably the first thing that comes to mind, but a few students have spent their time learning music, whether it is appreciated or not.
Johnny Meier is a senior at New Ulm High School, but also a bassist in his free time. He originally started playing because “I wanted to play the electric guitar, and I was like, what’s a way to get into learning that?” But once he got a guitar, he realized he enjoyed the bass more.
He practices with a few friends to master the craft. He says he has a friend who plays drums and another who plays guitar. They occasionally have jam sessions. “We have attempted to make our own little track to play,” Johnny said.
When asked what got him into music, he said, “I had a friend who showed me rock and metal music.” Johnny enjoys bands like Bring Me the Horizon, Fall Out Boy, and Lincoln Park.
Johnny says his reason for originally wanting to play an instrument was “I would start to go to concerts, and just seeing those people play those instruments, it made me think, that looks fun.” He goes to a rock fest every year where he sees on average 40 or so bands.
Rocco Espinoza is also a senior, but he plays the guitar in his free time. He says he chose the guitar because “There’s so much more with it,” compared to other instruments.
The guitar wasn’t something he grew up playing, but something he discovered much later. Rocco said, “I’ve had a guitar for a while, but I just never really picked it up,” until he started playing about 2 years ago.
Rocco’s family was a big influence for his musical journey. “My uncle played a lot, and he was always very impressive with it,” Rocco said.
He also writes a lot of lyrics and sings quite a bit. “It’s just kind of like a little poem. Writing down your feelings, figuring out how to make it flow,” he said.
When asked about influences, Rocco says he doesn’t have a specific person who has influenced him, but mentions many different artists from Kendrick Lamar to The Cure.
He is hoping to write more and continue improving in his music journey.
