School: Nicholas Senn High School

Artist Statement: “Next to You” is a song about transitions, written in a time of transition. I wrote and recorded the song during a treacherous transition between U.S. presidents, which coincided with a significant personal transition: starting my career as a music teacher. Whereas my actions for the first 22 years of my life were largely oriented towards my own growth (“only looking out to look down”), recently my focus has shifted to the growth of my incredible students. “Next to You” explores themes of cognitive dissonance and nostalgia, which inevitably occur with any significant life transition.

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