Megan Salash (9) is not only an amazing artist but she is an even better drummer. She spends her time as both a Santiago student and an aspiring musical student at Fender.

When did you start to play the drums?

I started playing around Christmas four to five years ago.

What inspired you to play the drums?

Honestly, I have just always had this thing for drums. I have always thought that they were so cool and that drumming would be an awesome thing to do one day.

What is motivating you to continue to play the drums?

My motivation just comes from the fact that I want to figure out how to play everything correctly. It bothers me if I can’t play a beat right or mess up.

Would you say that music shaped who you are today?

Yeah, I would because when I can’t really express myself, I go through music.

What kind of music genre do you prefer to listen to and play?

I prefer to listen to rock and I like playing it as well as more upbeat music sheets. Rock music is more challenging and it is just a lot of fun to learn how to play.

Who do you look up to musically?

I look up to CeCe from Black Veil Brides. He is an amazing drummer and he can do back pedal which is really cool. Also, my teacher Henry. He is an absolutely great drummer and he has taught me everything I know so far.

Would you ever want to be in a band?

I think it would be pretty cool to be in a band. I mean, I don’t think I am good enough to be in a band since I am not at that level yet but it would be a pretty awesome experience.

Have you played any other instruments?

I have played a little bit of piano, the xylophone, and any percussion instrument like the cowbells and crash symbols.

Does anyone else play a musical instrument in your family or did you just come across your love of music on your own?

My dad started playing the guitar right around the same time that I started playing the drums. My mom plays a little bit of piano so I kind of just tagged along.

Would you ever consider playing the drums as part of your future plan?

I may love what I do but no. I only see playing the drums as a hobby and never as a life goal to professionally play.

Is there anything you would change about your music style or other people’s view on music?

I want people to start thinking that a person who can play an instrument is an actual musician and not just that computer generated stuff on the radio. We are actual musicians. Even if you don’t like that certain style of music, you should at least respect them and respect that they actually have the talent to play.

What advice would you give Santiago students who are considering getting into playing involved with music?

Go for it! It really helps academically. Math gets involved somewhere in there as you count the beats while drumming. Music is definitely something you should aspire in if you are interested. Just go for it!