Arts & Entertainment

The Creativity Files: Brandon Dicks

Roswell Patch features talented locals on the site each week. If you are a painter, musician, writer, photographer or something of equal creative merit, contact us for considered inclusion in "The Creativity Files" series.

"The Creativity Files" series profiles Roswell artists who are using their talents to express their own creativity. This week we profile Brandon Dicks, a senior at . Dicks, a trumpet player, is a whiz at composing. So far, he has completed 42 different works within his young life, five of those have been performed by the Roswell High School Wind Ensemble, Roswell High School Concert Band, Roswell High School Chamber Orchestra, and the . Dark and heavy or light and energetic, some have compared his work to film scores - perhaps one day they will be.

Q: What artistic medium(s) do you work with?

A: In music, my main focus right now is composition and performance in trumpet. I do however want to become a music teacher in the future.  

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Q: How did you get your start as a musician?  

A: I started piano with my dad in 1st-grade. I didn't really like it as a young child and decided to quit in 3rd-grade. In 4th-grade though, I started learning how to play trumpet and have loved it ever since! I didn't really get hooked though until I started composing music in 6th-grade. From there I re-learned piano, learned saxophone for a very short period, guitar, trombone and French horn.

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Q: As you play music, what things inspire you?

A: When I play works, I don't just play them. I try to reach in and find out what is so amazing about the composition. The two ingredients I find the most grasping is a work's originality and its emotion. These are the two main reasons I listen to classical music the most. Every composition has some emotion yes, but to exert it in an effective way is difficult. When sucessful though, the power released is breathtaking! I love this unique expression of emotion, whether it's sad, angry, happy or full of heart. My inspiration comes from these emotions when writing them in music. It's the reason why I am a composer, why I am so dedicated to music and why I am so ambitious to help others in music.

Q: Do you have a favorite piece to play?  

A: A favorite piece is hard to find. If I had to pick one, I would pick Harvest: Trombone Concerto by John Mackey. It's a loud, fast, angry piece with a little jazz/rock influence inside it. I usually play it on trumpet though because of it's difficulty. A close second is Winter by David Snow. I find it to be a very unique trumpet concerto with very beautiful melodies. 

Q: What is your favorite thing about being a part of the artistic/musician community in Roswell? 

A: My favorite thing about this community is the want for better. Many of my friends are like me, passionate about the performing arts. We even created an after school group of our own to play music in a small ensemble setting. There are 15 of us inside this group and we rehearse every Monday. Mark Adams, band director at Roswell High School, also helps out our group before he heads to graduate school on the days when he isn't completely swamped with work. Besides this group, there are other teachers and students who are as dedicated and work as hard in the music community.


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