Jason Johnson (11) is a junior at Santiago. He is an AP student with a passion for music, and for him, it all comes naturally.

We asked him the following questions to gain a better understanding of what role music plays in his life.

1. How old were you when you discovered you had an interest in music?

“I grew up with my entire family always playing music and there would always be jams going on.  My dad and many cousins and uncles play guitar, bass, drums, and almost everyone sings.  Only one of my cousins played the piano.  I’ve always had an interest in music because it has always been a part of my life.”

2. What instruments do you play?

“I can play almost anything I pick up, or at least fake my way through it.  I can play piano, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, and ukulele.  Some things tend to come naturally to me, but others not so much.”

3. Have you ever written your own song?

“I’ve written a few songs that are only instrumental.  Nothing too special and I’ve never been very good with putting lyrics together.”

4. What would you consider to be the best at?

“I consider myself to be best at playing the piano because it it was I have played for the longest.  I discovered my interest in piano when I was 11, and it has been my strongest instrument ever since.”

5. Who or what inspired you to start playing?

“My family inspired me to start playing because I grew up always wanting to have a musical talent just like everyone else did. Being around them constantly caused me to realize that it was something I really wanted to do.”

6. How has music impacted your life?

“Music has always been a huge part of my life because it runs in my family.  I grew up with my entire family always playing music and there would always be parties and jams going on.  My dad and many cousins and uncles play guitar, bass, drums, and almost everyone sings.  Only one of my cousins played the piano. Music has definitely had a positive impact on my life because it brings my family together.”

7. Do you mostly play by yourself or with others? Which do you prefer?

“I mostly play by myself because our family doesn’t get together too often anymore. However I would have to say I prefer playing with my family all together. I love when we play a song and it has all the parts. When it all falls into place, it’s a pretty great feeling.”

8. What is your favorite song and instrument to play?

“My favorite instrument to play is by far the piano and my favorite song to play is either New York State of Mind by Billy Joel or Tiny Dancer by Elton John.”

9. How did you learn to play?

“I taught myself everything I know from Youtube videos or just by watching others.  It wasn’t until last year I finally began to take lessons.  I already knew just about everything there was to know when it comes to playing, but I still decided to take lessons to learn how to read sheet music and expand my understanding of chord theory.”

10. What keeps you motivated to keep learning and perfecting what you play?

“My love for music is what motivates me to keep playing.  I never get bored of playing music because I think it’s the best thing in the world. The more I play, the more I appreciate and love what I do.”