Whether it is their creativity, their innovation or just their pure skill to perform, several people are pursuing their own idea of what it means to be a musician.
A band that seeks a progressive art style is Foray M. An original project conceived by two juniors, guitarist Samuel Rosenberg and synthesizer-vocalist Keith Boylan, the band has grown to include freshman drummer Derek Boylan and bassist Annamarie Nyirady, a junior at Madison High School.
Foray M has already played numerous shows including Jamnesty and the Soundry, a local musical venue. It is currently working on original material.
“We have a lot of charisma together and we share a special connection in that we all want to get the same message across,” Rosenberg said.
One band, Ravencry, has trained themselves to become the “best musicians around,” according to band member Phil Armstrong, a senior. Preferring an unusual combination of two bassists, the band additionally includes juniors Ryan and Brian Burton and senior Ryan Jacobs.
The band has already played at Jamnesty, showcasing a purely punk/metal style.
The group is currently focused on making a name for themselves as musicians by experimenting with new riffs and creating their first original single.
The Blaze, a group consisting of all seniors, features Charlie Belt on guitar, Shelby Galvin on bass and Eian Burgess who, according to Belt, is “the driving force of the band” on piano.
Generally their more serious songs focus on rock elements but they also like to switch it up with some comedic music with a rap twist. The group hopes to craft its first original album.
Marshall is also home to solo artists, such as senior Orla Conway. A solo vocalist and pianist, her music might best be compared to works by Fiona Apple.
Trying to produce something that “is usually very intense and sometimes a little dark” says Conway, she has already written and published four songs on MySpace and several more on YouTube.
Conway, who said music comes naturally to her, aims to study vocal performance and creative writing in college. She won last year?s Cappie award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in Peter Pan.