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Heart pounds. Hands shake. Breathe in. Bright lights. Restless audience. Breathe out. Your heart feels like it’s going to explode, your throat constricts and it’s hard to breathe. But then, you start to sing. And that makes it all worth it. For sophomore Gwen Goizueta, this is normal. That’s because Goizueta performs regularly with her band through a program called School of Rock.

Goizueta has loved music since before she could remember.

“I’ve been singing forever,” Goizueta said.

However, it wasn’t until she started taking private lessons that her dream of being a musician was realized.

“I honestly didn’t know until I started taking lessons. Another thing with the private lessons is that I can learn anything that I want.”

Her love of music has been cultivated and supported by her family.

“They’re very different parents than other parents I know,” Goizueta said. “They’ve always opened my mind up to music.”

She has been given more support in her love of music by joining one of NHS’ choirs, Madrigals.

“I love how small the choir is. It’s very fun. I love the theatrics,” Goizueta said.

Her choir director, John Neubauer, enjoys getting to see the talent and passion she has for music in Madrigals.

“She’s a leader,” Neubauer said. “She could sing anything. She’s got a monster range.”

Goizueta says that she loves the characters she gets to be in choir, and she loves learning new music. However, one reason she says she loves being in a band is because she finds that’s there is a lot of freedom to be found in a program like School of Rock.

“Being in a band lets you be whoever you want,” Goizueta said.

School of Rock is a program where students are able to learn about all things music. They can take private lessons and learn any instrument available to them, and like Goizueta, they can even participate in a band.

“I couldn’t start a band; none of my friends played instruments, and I wanted to sing,” Goizueta said. “I found School of Rock, and the coolest thing about that is you pay them every month and they kind of form your band for you.”

According to Goizueta, this program has developed her music skills in ways she didn’t think was possible.

“On Mondays I go in for a private lesson. That could be any instrument I want to learn, which is so amazing,” Goizueta said. “And then the next day, on Tuesday, I go in from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and I practice with the band.”

This constant practice allows Goizueta’s band to perfect their new album.

“We have four different seasons, and this season we are doing a Pink Floyd album.”

This year, several kids are working on a collaborative album consisting of 25 songs that they will perform on January 14th. Goizueta is one of a couple singers who will perform. School of Rock also gives Goizueta the opportunity to perform in many different venues.

“They set up gigs at venues. We do something called Rock the Lot, and it’s kind of like a festival setting,” Goizueta said. “I’m trying out for a new thing they’re doing called the All Star Band pretty soon here. And this year and every year they’ve had it they perform at Lollapalooza.”

“The All Star band at the School of Rock is a select group of the very best students nationwide. They do national tours and large concerts every year,” Erich Anderson, Goizueta’s director said. “I would be very surprised if Gwen did not wind up doing one or more of these tours or events.

Anderson plays a vital role in making sure Goizueta and her band stay on track.

“What’s really nice is we are pretty independent, but we have a director that knows the show we’re doing and kind of watches over us and shows us what we need to work on,” Goizueta said. “There’s always someone there to help you.”

Goizueta’s director has high praise for Goizueta’s skill and dedication.

“Gwen Goizueta is a great example of what can happen when a student possesses both a great deal of natural ability and a strong work ethic,” Anderson said. “She is talented and hardworking, and it is very easy to see every time she steps behind a microphone or a keyboard.

Overall, School of Rock has been a really good fit for Goizueta.

“I’ve actually made some of my best friends in the band that I’m in,” Goizueta said. “In the future I think I will start a band with the people I’m in a band with now, my friend who plays electric guitar. We’re actually starting a little acoustic duo.”

Goizueta says School of Rock has allowed her to expand her music knowledge much more that she thought was possible. She has even picked up a new instrument, the ukulele.

“It’s been really eye opening. I’ve been exposed to so much amazing music that’s out there,” Goizueta said. “It can get really stressful because you want to be perfect, you want to do well, but honestly that’s not what music is about. It’s about really feeling it, and having it mean something to you.”