Student Feature: Brandon Horak

On October 30, I sat down with CB West student Brandon Horak to discuss his life and accomplishments. Brandon, who is a senior at West, is known schoolwide for his impeccable musical talent and knowledge. During this interview, I asked him further about his interest in the art, along with other interests and goals that he possesses.

Me: So, Brandon, tell me a little bit about yourself.

Brandon: Well, I’m a senior at Central Bucks West and I’m also a music teacher at Nook Nook Creative Music School. I’ve been teaching for about 3 years at that school now. And I’m involved with almost all of the musical activities at Central Bucks West.

Me: Nice. Okay, so, other than music, what kind of things do you like to do in your free time?

Brandon: I love to play golf when the weather’s real nice, but I don’t do much outside of music.

Me: Okay, and when did you start playing instruments?

Brandon: I started guitar when I was 5 years old, so I’ve been playing for over 13 years now, and I’ve never stopped.

Me: Out of all instruments, which do you play?

Brandon: Well, I mainly study guitar and saxophone, but I have ventured out into almost every realm. I play a lot of different string and percussion instruments on top of a healthy amount of woodwind instruments.

Me: So, circling back to the teaching job, tell me a little bit about what you do there.

Brandon: Well, our big thing is teaching through creativity, and not this “you have to play this, you have to play that” kind of mentality. You want to go in, you want to enjoy, you want to have fun, not really held back by rules. So, I do a lot more with younger kids there. I started a program called Intro to Music. I’ve ran almost all of our summer camps, and a lot of it is just bringing in younger generations and teaching them more about how music is a creative tool than a set in stone path of how you have to sound, kind of bringing that side out of it.

Me: Nice, so, what kind of musical projects are you involved in right now?

Brandon: Well, I am currently arranging a bunch of music for our upcoming fall musical, The Christmas Carol. I’m wrapping up my marching band season. I’m involved in our jazz band and symphonic band and choir, and will very soon be beginning the 3^rd year of Jazz Central.

Me: When it comes to music, what’s your favorite genre to play?

Brandon: Haha

Me: Ha, or give me like, 3.

Brandon: Well, that’s rough because I love playing so much… a lot of wacky stuff too. Right now I’ll say I’ve been studying a lot of eastern music, so that comes out in my playing a lot. I’m always studying jazz and classical, but the biggest thing that I’m doing right now is that eastern sound. A lot of Armenian music, to be honest, they have some really fun stuff, stuff that we don’t normally hear in the western music world.

Me: Who’s your biggest musical or non-musical inspiration?

Brandon: I can give you a few.

Me: Go for it.’

Brandon: When I started, I loved the Beatles, a lot.

Me: Yeah, hence your tattoo.

Brandon: Haha, yes! Yeah, so, I’ve always looked up to Paul, which is the bassist, but Paul McCartney I loved. His songwriting… his sound was amazing. Now we get into guitarists such as Pat Metheny, who gets this more modern jazz sound, and then a bunch of other artists that aren’t really known here because they’re just that weird music that you have to train your ear to.

Me: Do you have any examples?

Brandon: Hahaha, nope. Not off the top of my head.

Me: Haha, gatekeeping!

Brandon: Yup.

Me: And do you plan on continuing music after high school?

Brandon: Yes. I plan on joining the Marine Corp band right out of high school. So, 4 years of high-level music, into then studying music education, to then hopefully teaching at high school level for a long time, just to continue my teaching.

Me: Awesome, that’s pretty much it!

Thank you for a great interview, Brandon!