As comprehensive and diverse as Winchendon’s ColLABs are, there’s always the chance that an ambitious, visionary student will want to carve out something even more specifically special. That’s exactly what senior Sophie L. is attempting to do with her independent ColLAB, “Writing Music.”
“If you don’t want to go according to the regular [ColLAB] plan, that’s fine, but you have to have your own solid plan of what you’d like to accomplish,” says Sophie. And a solid plan is just what she has. This spring, Sophie will write original lyrics and compose original music for a set of songs she’ll interpret on her guitar; additionally, with recording capabilities supplied by Mr. Magee, Sophie hopes to produce a three to five song EP over the course of the two-week ColLAB.
In the fall, Sophie will attend Middlebury College in Vermont, looking to expand on her interests in music, acting, history, and foreign languages, but for now, she’s concentrating on creating and being true to her own internal and external voice. “I’ve always listened to what my parents listen to,” offers Sophie when asked about musical influences. “My mom likes everything, my dad likes alternative rock. So, that’s what I listen to.”
“But I’m not trying to emulate anything specific; I’m just trying to write the music that comes to me.”
As far as her other TWS outlet—theater acting, most recently in a School production of Romeo and Juliet—her influences are just as grounded. “I’ve been influenced most by the people I’ve worked with. The directors at the summer acting camp I’ve attended over the years have been an influence on my evolution as an actor.”
And The Winchendon School continues to be influenced—and moved and inspired—by students like Sophie.
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