I never thought I’d see myself pursuing a career in music as my full time job. From starting all the way back in fourth grade for the fun of making a saxophone squeak, to visiting New York City every week now as a rising junior, life truly changed fast, and my love for music has stayed through it all. Being a musician to me has been about community, fellowship, and a pursuit of being greater than anything in the living world. Since starting my journey in jazz music, one of my inspirations has been the great Wayne Shorter. Mr. Shorter was a saxophonist who pioneered what jazz is today, starting a band called Weather Report and being in the forefront of the jazz funk movement, along with being an incredible modal jazz player and composer. This year, Wayne Shorter passed away at the age of 89, and losing one of your heroes is a difficult journey, but Wayne was a being greater than life. In an interview after his passing, pianist Herbie Hancock spoke about his death quoting, “He was ready for his rebirth. As it is with every human being, he is irreplaceable and was able to reach the pinnacle of excellence as a saxophonist, composer, orchestrator, and recently, composer of the masterful opera …Iphigenia. I miss being around him and his special Wayne-isms but I carry his spirit within my heart always.” One of the reasons I play music is because when all else is falling apart in the world around us, playing music is a reminder that the spirit of every musician lives on past their life in a beautiful way, and they are at peace knowing that anyone on Earth is celebrating the universal language we all share. I am currently a student at Rutgers University - New Brunswick in New Jersey. The jazz program is led by Conrad Herwig, professional trombonist who plays most recently with the Mingus Big Band. I can recall when starting college, I chose Rutgers because it was an instate school that I was accepted to, but I didn't do any research into the music program at all. In my two years of attending, Rutgers has changed my view on life and music in a way I could never have expected, and I have been a sponge as much as I can. Studying with New York's top musicians, and going every week and seeing them play has always left me speechless. After finishing at Rutgers, I hope to attend Minnesota SouthEast Community College in Red Band Minnesota in order to obtain a degree in Band Instrument Repair. With this degree, I hope to move back to New Jersey and start my own instrument repair business. With my business, I hope to collaborate with local schools in order to provide young students with functional instruments to make their musical journeys as fun as mine was. I hope to inspire the next generation of musicians in my hometown and make a small difference with the program I grew up with at Monroe Township High School.

Music gives me a way to express who I am and what I believe in ways that words just cannot explain. To me, music is a pursuit of something larger than life and has taken on a whole new meaning. When I first decided that I wanted to study music and become a professional, I was a junior in high school, and just wanted to learn more about the mystical art form of jazz. Now as a sophomore at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, I have learned that my own desire to become a successful musician and the lessons I have learned along the way have shaped me into who I am and helped make me the person I am today. Being a musician, I have learned the true meaning of community. Jazz and blues music were both founded on this principle of community. African Americans created the art forms as an escape from the difficulties of slavery, as a way to express the racial injustice they faced, as a way to protest against discrimination, and as a way to connect with each other. While growing up, music has been my way to connect with others. As a young child, I always felt like I didn’t belong, and saw myself as a wallflower. I didn’t share the same interests as other kids growing up and always felt like my passions and hobbies were weird and different, yet the opportunities I have taken through my love for music have always surrounded me with people who have helped me appreciate who I am and what I stand for. Along with that, music teaches the lesson that everyone matters. When creating a shape in marching band, or when playing a chord, without everyone working together, the idea doesn’t come to life. There is a sense of belongingness expressed through music, where everyone is treated equally and everyone matters equally. Being a musician, I have learned the true meaning of dedication. In a documentary titled Passing the Torch, legendary saxophone player Jimmy Heath retells a story about saxophone giant John Coltrane saying that “...he worked harder than everybody else. You know, Coltrane practiced 25 hours a day, and there are only 24 hours in a day.” All of the musicians that we look up to and are inspired by, give themselves up to this art form. It’s through sacrifice and dedication that the boundaries of music are expanded and challenged. My professors have told me stories about skipping prom to practice, working multiple jobs every day on top of practicing daily to afford lessons, along with sacrificing time for relationships to practice. As I have grown and developed as a musician, I have made my own sacrifices and pushed myself daily in order to grow closer to the musician I wish to be. Being a musician, I have found my purpose. Every time I pick up an instrument, time stops, and my only focus is living in the present. All of life's problems disappear as I speak my true emotions and feelings from deep within my heart. When life gets tough, I know I can always turn on a song that I love or go out to a show to help cheer me up. My journey as a musician has not been easy, and I still have a long way to go to achieve my dreams and desires, but it has been spiritually rewarding every step of the way.

During the first year of my undergrad, I began to learn the true value of jazz and African American music. I applied to college as a jazz studies major because I enjoyed listening to jazz music, and I just wanted to learn more about the mystifying art form. It’s an art style that’s full of energy and life, yet behind the energy, I’ve learned, are decades of oppression and hardships. At Rutgers University, I have the pleasure to study under tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton. Studying with Professor Burton, I have learned more about what music means as a whole to a community. My professor has told me stories of how he has been oppressed, and how living through the civil rights era has changed him as a person and as an artist, many stories I have difficulty fathoming due to just how unbelievable they are. The music I play in his classes reflects ideas of racial injustice, oppression, and freedom, and always makes audience members and band members alike feel uplifted and equal through the sharing of music. As I continue my education, I plan to do my best to uphold the deep-rooted history and tradition along with working to uplift communities and provide for others. Music is a language that speaks in a different way that words cannot, and reaching someone's emotions through music is an impactful experience. I have gone through hardships throughout my life, and I never wish any of them upon others, but through my hardships, I have gained a desire to help and uplift as many people as I can. Music to me is more about a community experience rather than a selfish quest to become the best because there is no true best. If I can feel happy doing what I love, and enjoy the moment with someone else then a performance is worth it to me.

Without the love, advice, support, and financial help from my family, my life and none of my accomplishments would be what they are today. My family is a wild, crazy group, but through all the craziness, I have grown into and am proud of the person I am today. I was raised in a family of four. My parents are both immigrants from Poland, who came to America in the 1990s to pursue the American dream together, and to give my older sister and me a better life. Coming from Poland, my parents came to America with nothing. They barely spoke English, and barely had any connections, so they had to work incredibly hard to fit in the United States and build the life they wanted. My older sister is a class of 2022 graduate from Drexel University as a civil engineering major and has always been a role model when it comes to hard work and achievement. About my education, I am currently a Jazz Studies major at Rutgers University located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. My primary instrument of study is the tenor saxophone, yet I play the flute, clarinet, trumpet, and piano in ensembles and classes. I started my music journey in fourth grade, falling in love with the social aspect of playing music, and always felt moved and touched by art. Throughout my decade of playing, I had the honor of receiving many national recognitions, all of which I am blessed to receive. I have played in Hawaii for the 75th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Parade in Waikiki, received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Excellence award in high school, and in college have played with professional musicians in the New York jazz scene. My most important achievement was the opportunity to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade hosted by NBC with the famous Macy’s Great American Marching Band in 2019 and 2021. This national honor is special to me because I was selected as one of 2 members from New Jersey in 2019 to march in a parade seen by millions of people in person and on television, but more importantly, I made amazing friendships that I still have today. The sacrifices my family has made are much larger than life. Coming to the United States was an incredible challenge all in pursuit of a better life. Along with this, my family has always supported my musical endeavors. They have helped with all my musical ventures, from voluntarily buying musical instruments for me, to paying for camps and events, to driving me to and from rehearsals, to attending concerts and cheering me on as I do what I love. No matter what I pursue, my family supports me and has taught me that with enough hard work and consistency, any dream can be a reality. My parents put my sister and me first, always working to make sure we have everything we need to succeed, and they never want anything in return. Selflessness and sacrifice are also reasons why I am also pursuing my jazz degree. Jazz as a black American art form has been deep-rooted in sacrifice and uplifting and enriching spirits. Music to me is a reflection of life and a sense of self-expression greater than words. These values are a part of my core values, and keep me moving forward as I practice and face challenges. I am incredibly self-driven, and love being an entrepreneur, so I value working for myself and being in control of my destiny. My career has only begun, and I’m excited by all the doors being open in school.

One second can really have an impact on someone's life. When I get swamped with work or am in a rush, I try and find a single second to breathe, so I can remember that in all the hard and busy times, everything will turn out alright. I learned this lesson because, in May of 2021, I was involved in a non-fatal car accident. While working my job as a food delivery driver, I had an order in my passenger seat as opposed to my trunk because it was a small order to an assisted living community gatehouse. I look to my passenger seat because I thought I saw the food move, and when I looked back up a second later, a driver was stopped in front of me which I didn’t expect. Thankfully, there were no injuries sustained to any party involved as a result of the accident, yet in one second, my life following the accident changed. Stepping out of my car after the accident, I realized that I made a careless mistake that could have been prevented with an extra second. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 90% of accidents reported could have been prevented with only a single extra second of awareness. I knew of statistics like these before my accident, but I only understood the value of it when I lost that single second myself. My car, which I only owned for a month before, looked ruined and for the following few weeks, I had to deal with the repercussions. I dealt with local law enforcement, dealt with my insurance provider to get a claim, and dealt with the mechanic to figure out if I was going to have my car again. I never expected to have to go through any of these experiences at my age, but I had no choice now expect to figure it out. I worked with my family to make all the calls, work with the insurance, and make sure I was doing what would be best for my future. It was not an easy time for me mentally, and putting my family through more hardships is something I never want to do, but as a family, we worked and overcame this obstacle. Over a year later today, my car is fixed and still runs like new. Life is precious, and every second can change things in both a positive and negative way. In one second, I became a statistic for car crashes, but I make sure now I never lose an important second when it matters. I’m an optimistic person, and with every hardship I go through, I appreciate the fact that no matter what happens in life, there are options and ways to move forward, as long as I work towards a better version of myself. Doors are always available, and when life seems to be darkest, it takes a little bit of time to find the right way, but they exist. As a result of all my hardships, I make sure I am a patient, compassionate, and caring person to others because that’s the kind of person I want around when I need someone to help me out. Hardships are a part of life and are unavoidable, but it’s only through them that lessons are truly learned and understood.