Whether it’s performing with WJ drumline at football games, teaching private guitar lessons or performing in a band outside of school, freshman Meyer Gordon is always surrounded by music. After finding his passion for music during quarantine, Gordon hasn’t looked back and works to continue focusing on it in the future.
Gordon plays bass for WJ drumline and has been welcomed by the returning members. Tryouts for drumline consist of everyone playing together and seeing what sounds best. Gordon fit right in and was offered a spot. Earlier in the year, drumline participated in the Ashburton Halloween parade. One of Gordon’s favorite events from drumline so far this year, the parade encouraged young kids to explore music and later join musical programs at WJ. Drumline has always brought spirit and fun to both inside and outside of WJ.
“Besides the great team on the field, the best part about WJ football is listening to the band play and drumline in particular. It sets the mood for the crowd,” Gordon’s dad, Mike Gordon, said.
Returning members of drumline welcomed Gordon with open arms. His connections through drumline have helped him to create a community of people with similar interests and the same passion for music.
“Starting out on bass, he’s doing a great job. I mean, he’s pretty talented regarding all string instruments and that also comes to play in drumline. He’s doing a great job,” senior Noah Mills said.
Alongside drumline, Gordon participates in the concert orchestra at WJ, playing double bass. Gordon hopes that taking orchestra will help advance his musical abilities. With that and the help of class of 2024 graduate Torben Mucchetti, who connected Gordon with a professional musician, he hopes to make WJ’s audition-only jazz band in May.
“I started taking orchestra, which everyone in the music department recommended me to do since playing with a conductor is really good to get into jazz band. And with jazz band, it’s more likely that I’ll be accepted to a college for my skills in music in general,” Gordon said.
Connections from meeting new people in drumline led to Gordon finding himself in a newly formed band, whose name is still in the works. His fellow drumline member, Mills, along with junior Macie Redmond, senior Thomas Scanlon and senior Kasper Taraska, have come together to practice once a week and hope to start live performances at the BabyCat Brewery in Kensington.
“He’s really awesome. He does take leadership sometimes, he writes a lot of songs. He brings a lot of ideas to the table, which is awesome,” Redmond said.
In 2021, Gordon was picked out in the crowd and brought on stage to play live with Greenday. Not feeling an ounce of nerves, Gordon got up there and started playing guitar along with the rest of the band. It was like second nature for Gordon and he didn’t miss a beat. After the show, Gordon and his dad were escorted to their bus, and he received a yellow guitar, signed by all the band members.
“I immediately threw my hands up and celebrated. I just played the rhythm for him, but it was just three chords. It was easy, but it was a lot of fun,” Gordon said.
Furthering his involvement in music, Gordon teaches guitar lessons in his home studio once a week. After sending a message out in his neighborhood listserv, Gordon has started teaching two people so far, each for 30 minutes and gets paid $10 per lesson.
“I teach them all the beginning chords, and then we choose a song they like. Then we can play along pretty easily,” Gordon said.
Gordon hopes to continue the music legacy at WJ, staying in bands and participating in WJ music programs, like drumline. Once many of the seniors leave, Gordon looks to find new people at WJ and surrounding schools to play music with. As for college, Gordon wants to follow a similar path as the one of class of 2024 graduate and current NYU student Matthew Ashman and work to become a producer and record music for others.
