hidden talent

Lurking in the minds of some students is thoughtful prose that could result in a song; but whether the world will get a chance to hear them or not is a decision they must make.\nSinger-songwriters are all over campus, their poetic lyrics sometimes too esoteric to be noticed by the masses. Many have no intention of becoming famous -- they write and perform music as a hobby, an outlet for their energy or just to get a message across.\n"When I get really strong emotions, I let them flow out in written form," sophomore Kristine Santiano says. "I look to my environment, events, strangers and my family for inspiration."\nSantiano resided at Collins Center last year, where she performed a song she had written for one of her teachers, which was later included in a Collins compilation CD. Santiano plays the guitar and the bass guitar and is learning how to play the piano. \n"I can share my work with people that are open-minded and wouldn't critique it too harshly or be insensitive to it," Santiano says. \nShe also believes it is difficult to share certain work because it is so personal. \n"I would love to perform my work for people, but I'm really shy," Santiano says.\nFreshman Jeff Kolski identifies with Santiano's hesitation to share her music, but says he is not opposed to performing the music he writes. At the end of his junior year in high school, Kolski arranged a piece that was later performed at a jazz cafe. \n"I think it's fun creating things," Kolski says. "To get something to go together and sound good is satisfying." \nKolski, whose style is influenced by bands like the Moody Blues and who plays the piano and drums, says when he composes a song, the lyrics are not the most important element in his music. \n"The melody line should sound good, and then, if it has words, great," Kolski says. \nHe likes to know the people he is sharing his music with, but he says if he feels good about a piece, he'd be eager to stop a stranger in the street to listen to it. \nKolski says he hopes to make an album someday, but would prefer other artists to perform his work.\nFreshman Cara McFarland not only hopes to entertain with her music, but also aspires to help people. She is majoring in occupational therapy, and eventually would like to do music therapy because as she says, "Music is related to every person. It gets people motivated or gives them power to go on."\nMcFarland says she would pursue a musical career if it came up, but would not join a band. \n"I would want my music to plant a seed, to get a message across, to touch someone, somehow," she says. \nMcFarland is currently working with a friend -- who composes music to go with McFarland's lyrics -- to produce a recording. Unlike other singer-songwriters, McFarland says she is not shy about singing in front of people. She took choir in high school and is now taking a piano class at IU. McFarland focuses on words in her music. She says she believes that songwriters should create "straight from the heart." \nAnd then there are those students who create music for the sheer purpose of having a good time. \n"I don't think it's fun writing depressing music. I write for fun," senior Doug Edsey says. "My inspiration is my dog because she does really stupid things that make me laugh." \nEdsey has performed before an audience while in a band in high school. Now he works with keyboards to create what he describes as edgier rock, but also knows how to play the drums and guitar, and has taken lessons in piano and bass guitar. \n"I have some stuff on tape that I share with certain people. If I had time, I'd join a band," Edsey says. "I've actually spoken with the drummer from the Doors, John Densmore, and he's given me words of encouragement." \nLike Kolski, Edsey also doesn't consider himself to be much of a singer. \n"I'd probably expect someone better to take my words and sing them," he says.\nFor these four students, writing and singing is something they do -- not because they want to -- but because they need to, as music plays a huge role in their lives. \n"Music settles you down and connects to everything," Kolski says. "Music is something you can do wherever, whenever, no matter how old you are. It's something you carry with you through life."\nSantiano says like most people need food, water and shelter to survive, she would have to add music to that list.\n"I couldn't live without music because it is everywhere," Santiano says. "Everything has a rhythm, like your heartbeat, and walking"