College: Ithaca College
Major: Music performance
‘Just say yes.’ That is pianist, concertmaster and general music enthusiast Jamie Decker’s philosophy for getting his name out there and one’s passion discovered. Looking back, Decker said this mindset started during his freshman year of high school.
“COVID gave me tons of free time,” Decker said. “In that time, I listened to lots of music, I practiced a ton, and I just got serious about music.”
After quarantine, Decker began working in groups rather than alone. He accepted any gigs he could get.
“Gradually your [social] web spreads,” Decker said. “You have to do as many [things as] you can to get your name out there.”
There is a drawback, however. Double-booking himself between music and college has increased his stress and awareness of the size of the music industry.
“When you’re going to college for music you have to audition,” Decker said. “It’s nice because it feels more intimate but it was a year-long process preparing music and traveling to different schools.”
Joseph Bartin, science teacher, and Decker’s homeroom teacher, has been on the outside looking in since Decker’s freshman year.
“He is very bright and involved and has connected with a group of [like-minded] people,” Bartin said. “[He makes] homeroom what it’s supposed to be: an academic hour while also being somewhat of a social hour.”
Decker worked constantly and as of this year, most of that time has been spent with choir teacher Andrew Gibb-Clark. Gibb-Clark said Decker plays the piano accompaniment to the majority.
“Jamie’s an incredibly talented student, he works very hard and he’s so ambitious,” Gibb-Clark said. “He’s going to go far and do whatever he wants.”
In May, Decker will be conducting his first song. He has been accepted to Ithaca College in New York, where he will work one-on-one with a professor to proceed into music.
“If you want to be a music major, there’s so many more possible outlets,” Decker said. “If you want to go into music, you need to know what you want to go into, and high school is the best time to experiment. Just say yes.”
