Rene Adrian Sandoval Sr. Jazz Scholarship

As a musician, I am always looking to expand my horizons when it comes to composition. In 2018, I stumbled upon a YouTube video about 10 songs for the classical guitar. Little did I know that the song at number 7 would have a great impact on my life. The song was called “Mediterranean Sundance,” and after hearing the opening of the song, I became addicted to this style of music. Immediately after, I found a live performance of Mediterranean Sundance which opened the door to improvisation and collaboration. That was the day I discovered my favorite jazz musician, Al Di Meola. Before then, I was not familiar with jazz nor the concept of improvisation. It seemed like a superpower that no ordinary human can obtain. But after watching Al Di Meola perform with his counterpart Paco De Lucia, I began to follow suit. In middle school, I didn’t know anyone else who liked, let alone played jazz fusion. Luckily, I had determination to teach myself how to play, or attempt to play, similar to Di Meola. I would get on YouTube, play the live recording, and play alongside a virtual Di Meola. This helped me develop my own style of improvisation, how to play along with another musician, and helped with my songwriting. Seeing Di Meola play various styles of music, jumping from electric to classical guitar playing instantly made a big impact on my compositions. This motivated me to create music in different styles and even combine genres. From a chill rap beat to an epic choir, Al Di Meola is a key influence on how I discovered my own musical personality. Little did I know that my curiosity on YouTube would lead me down the path I’m on today, all thanks to my favorite jazz musician Al Di Meola.