Happy Pride, From Gabriel

June 14, 2022

Hi Folks 👋 Gabriel here. If you’re enrolled in Sunburst’s group programs, you likely see me in your inbox pretty often since I manage the school’s programming and events. I also teach drum set lessons, and in the past, taught Explore and Emerging Artist groups.

Okay, now on to the point of this blog post. I want to take a moment to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and abundantly joyful Pride month!

This Pride feels particularly special to me as it’s the first one that I’ll be celebrating in a body that feels familiar to me. Some of you may know that in late 2021, I came out as trans at work. I’m grateful for that experience - that it was smooth and overwhelmingly positive.

I recently heard someone say that we become the person our younger selves needed. I imagine that is true for most people- it certainly is for me. Believe it or not, I didn’t know what being trans was until I was 24. I rarely saw anyone who was queer, let alone trans, growing up and could not have imagined that transitioning would ever be an option for me. In the spirit of being the visibility that I needed, I made a playlist as a gift to my younger self that I would also like to share with you. It contains music by trans, nonbinary, and gender fluid artists. You’re welcome to listen here.

This month, I will be reminding myself that transness is magical and therefore I am. That transness is beautiful and therefore I am. That visibility is essential. That trans joy is revolutionary.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It, and your support, mean a lot to me. Happy Pride :)

-Gabriel

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5 Reasons to Start Playing in a Band

July 30, 2025

As summer break comes to a close, we’re gearing up for the next term of the Sunburst Band Program and would love to see some new faces this fall. Playing in a band is one of the best ways to progress as a musician, so we put together a list of five reasons why we encourage our students to seek out opportunities to play in groups—whether it's starting a band or jamming with a couple of friends. Progress Your rhythm, timing, and listening skills improve quickly when you start playing in a band or group setting. While private lessons and solo practice are essential pieces of the puzzle, playing with others introduces new variables—like tempo changes, dynamics, and coordination—that challenge you to stay in sync with your bandmates and adapt to each other. We’ve seen so many students level up after just a couple months in the Sunburst Band Program–the progress happens fast! Friends and Connections We love watching our students and their families become friends and our band program has been a natural starting point for many of those relationships. Some of our current bands have stayed together for years, and it's awesome to see them hang out outside of lessons and support each other at shows. Plus, one of the best ways to get gigs is through connections with other musicians! Motivation Playing in a band is super motivating because you're part of a group working toward an exciting shared goal. Whether you're learning a new song, building a set list, or getting ready for a show, the process becomes more exciting and rewarding when you're making music you love with people you enjoy being around. That shared energy turns practice into something much more fun and meaningful. Performing Performing can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier the more you do it, and being on stage with your friends makes it less scary. We love seeing how our students' stage presence and confidence grow with each performance—it’s one of our favorite parts of being teachers! As we mentioned, shows are a great place to make connections with musicians who you’d like to collaborate with in the future. Simply put, playing more shows leads to playing more shows. Creative Outlet Music is a powerful tool for expression, and it’s important to have outlets for that at any age! Life is very fast paced for many of us, and it can be tough to pause and do the things you enjoy. Band practice can be a consistent anchor in your week—something you can rely on for connection, processing, and creating with your bandmates. As corny as it sounds, playing music is good for your spirit! If you’d like to know more about the Sunburst Band Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We also recommend talking with your private lessons instructor so that they’re aware and can help you prepare.