Former STC student talks about professional music career
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@kcchronicle.com
Samuel Wyatt is using the musical lessons he learned as a St. Charles East High School student well as he carves out a career as a professional musician.
The 2004 St. Charles East graduate recently released his first full-length album, “Welcome To America,” and his band will perform from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday at The House Pub, 16 S. First Ave., St. Charles.
Wyatt recently talked about his music and becoming a professional musician.
I see you know how to play 12 instruments. How did that come about?
I’m mainly a keyboard player. What happened was that the Wyatt project for a while had been not a live performing type of project, it was all recording. So it was me doing whatever needed to be done.
By accident, I just kind of keyed up the instruments and learned how to do them because it needed to be done for the recording process.
I do enjoy playing drums and guitar and stuff, but I would definitely consider myself a keyboardist first.
You studied jazz at Northern Illinois University. Was it your dream to become a jazz pianist?
Even before college, I was more of a rock type of piano player. I never intended to be a permanent jazz artist, I just wanted to learn as much as possible about music, and I definitely did. I had some fantastic professors, and I was able to learn a lot, which helped me in writing the songs for “Welcome To America.”
Did your teachers at St. Charles East inspire you to get involved in music?
There was a teacher there, Jim Kull, who was the director of bands at St. Charles East. He was definitely very strict, always pushing everybody to get better in practice and teaching us about being exact with the music. He taught everybody a lot about being a musician, and made me want to study more about music.
What do you like about playing piano?
I love how it’s really percussive, and it has a huge range. It has ton of dynamics. You can go from barely able to hear it to really loud and raucous, without electricity. It’s a pretty amazing instrument.
Are you performing music full time?
Music I do full time, whether it’s with Wyatt or play solo at restaurants or private parties, or playing in a quartet.
I’m able to make a decent living doing that. I’m pretty lucky that I’m able to do music full time.
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If you go
What: The band Wyatt
When: 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday
Where: The House Pub, 16 S. 1st Ave., St. Charles
Cost: Free
Information: www.myspace.com/wyattchicago
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