Being involved in performing arts at school is a great way to make friends, improve music skills and to show passion for music.

Some students, however, participate in music outside of school.

Justin Goodwin, junior, has been taking guitar lessons for 11 years and recently joined his cousin’s band after their old lead guitarist left. “The guys in the band have known me and knew I was good,” Goodwin said.

He practices with the band once a week and records every other week. Alternative rock is the type of music they play. He joined because he loves music and it’s with people he has known for a while.

“I eat, sleep, and breathe it,”Goodwin said. “I plan on making it into the industry. If I don’t, I plan on studying music production.”

He has his first gig and first headlining show on March 20.

Kayla Balcom, junior, started a band with her best friend. They practice at “either my house or my friends house,” Balcom said. She said they usually play alternative music.

“Pursue music if you want to find parts of yourself you didn’t know existed. Also, don’t punish yourself for messing up,” Balcom said.

Balcom also used to give lessons. She said that the best thing about giving lessons is “getting to see someone else flourish because of what you taught them.”

Whitney Schweiger, sophomore, plays the French horn in the Olathe Youth Symphony and the tenor horn in Fountain City Brass Band.

Along with the French horn and tenor horn, she plays the trumpet, mellophone, guitar, some percussion and is learning trombone.

“The auditions for both were very relaxed,” Schweiger said.

She auditioned for the Olathe Youth Symphony because she wanted to experience being in a symphony setting and she auditioned for Fountain City Brass Band.

“It is a very respected organization that can teach you a lot about being a musician and turn you into a better player,” Schweiger said.

In the Olathe Youth Symphony, she usually plays more classical music and in Fountain City she plays more classic European brass band music.

“I either want to be a music educator or be a professional musician,” Schweiger said.

She wants to either attend the University of Kansas or the University of Missouri-Kansas City.