I was out wandering around Chase Field Saturday night waiting for the game to start. Downtown Phoenix is full of a lot of really talented people, so it’s hard for me to connect with everyone. However, every once in awhile, something catches my ear that I just can’t pass up. It happened once before with Courtney Marie Andrews while I was strolling First Friday. As I was walking down the sidewalk admiring all the motorcycles, I walked by this kid jamming out on his guitar. There were a few people passing by and some even stopped to listen. After he finished, I asked a few questions:
Me: “Hi, what’s your name?”
Kid: “Dylan.”
Me: “It’s nice to meet you, Dylan. You’re pretty good. How long have you been playing?”
Kid: “Thanks. 3 years.”
Me: “How old are you?”
Kid: “11.”
Me: “Is your mom or dad around?”
Kid: “My dad is over there.”
I walked over to meet his dad and ask if it was OK to put this up on the net. We had a short, but heart-warming conversation about music and kids. He said Dylan plays to save money for a new guitar and he tries to keep him in music lessons as much as possible despite being on the 4-kid budget. He also mentioned that Dylan really wants to play the national anthem at a big event. I agreed that it would be awesome.
My quick encounter pretty much made my night. My dad and I have chatted and voiced our concerns about the lack of music programs in schools. It’s sad that they’re going away or one of the first programs to get axed because of the budget. I admire Dylan for playing out in front of Chase Field. For that, he is my hero.
Karen Lateiner
September 9, 2013
Lovely story….and yes, it is sad that music and art have been cut out of so many school budgets, despite clear empirical evidence supporting the idea that music and art not only enriches the mind, but it enhances academic achievement.