Most musicians focus on one instrument and one genre. However, junior Ethan Steiner plays guitar, bass, upright bass and piano. He spends a lot of his time playing music, both for his own classes and for others.
“I play at every choir concert, every band concert, every orchestra concert, for marching band performances and I play for [the Trebelaires],” Steiner said.“[Next year], I want to take music theory, orchestra, band and jazz band.”
Steiner has been interested in music from a young age. He said his family encouraged him to play different instruments and to explore music.
“When I was 7 years old, my dad bought me a guitar and I played that for a long time,” Steiner said. “I joined orchestra in sixth grade, and I’ve been playing bass since then.”
Steiner was selected as one of four bass players in the country to compete in the International Society of Bassists Youth Jazz Competition.
“They have a competition every two years, and people from all around the country can submit audio recordings of them playing a set list of songs,” Steiner said.
Steiner said he found out in February that he became a finalist and is very excited for the upcoming competition.
“I didn’t think I’d get in at all. I thought it was something way out of my league,” Steiner said. “But I threw my hat in the ring, and it turned out great for me.”
Steiner said he became interested in the competition because previous competitors have had successful careers as a result.
“Everyone who’s won it before goes on to be a real big deal. Even being a finalist is an entry ticket to pretty much any college I want to go to,” Steiner said. “If I win the thing, not only do I get money, but my name’s kind of engraved in stone.”
The competition and the ensuing convention will be held on June 2-7 at Florida State University. The first two days are for the actual competition where Steiner has picked five pieces of music to play alongside a professional group of musicians.
“I have about an hour to perform in front of set judges who are all very famous people,” Steiner said. “Some people I know by name, some I’ve seen on the internet and that’s really scary.”
The results of the competition will be announced the evening of June 3. Steiner said he is very grateful for his chance to participate in this competition and said he will be happy no matter the outcome.
“If I win, that’d be so awesome. But even if I get last place out of the four, it would still be such an amazing experience,” Steiner said. “I’m going to have a chance to talk with some of my heroes that are there.”
Steiner said music is one of the most important things in his life and this opportunity solidifies that for him.
“It’s my outlet to be creative. If I’m doing something like math, there’s just one right answer,” Steiner said. “But in music, there’s so many things you can do and it’s so freeing.”
