MUSICAL MANAGERIE

Carver is a hub of creativity. Students create magnificent paintings in Visual Arts, sturdy structures in Carpentry, and invigorating games in IT. Alongside these creators are the students of Digital Instrumental Music. Digital Instrumental Music, or DIM for short, is one of the most creative primes at Carver, with dozens of students flocking in to create a variety of ear candy for us to snack on.  

 Today we take a deep dive into the world of DIM, interviewing James Roberson, Julia Silver, and Braden Jones to explore what compels and inspires these students.  

 On October 27th I had the great honor of going to the DIM the Lights Concert. My experience was fantastic. The performances were engaging and spectacular with some magnificent covers. What stood out to me was the performance of Black Magic Woman, Thriller, and Quite. These students are by no means amateurs, even the freshmen performed well above expectations.  

Despite many hiccups with technology, the DIM students were adaptive and resourceful, and the comedic stylings of Julia Silver and her trusty skeletal sidekick Bonita made what would’ve been a giant mess into a graceful performance that charmed and enamored me. 

The show sparked my interest in the DIM prime. I had been friends with DIM kids before, but to see such an excellent performance lit a fire in my soul and butterflies in my stomach. I wanted not only for myself to find out what goes on behind the curtains, but also for other people to discover them and participate in future concerts as they truly deserve it. 

DIM works a lot like the other primes, such as Visual. DIM kids are given an assignment and work both individually and in groups. As lower classmen become upper class they morph into their own styles and groups, discovering new instruments and techniques.  

DIM is a balance between modern digital music production and more traditional band formations. Local Hippie and Rolling Stones fan Braden Jones stated, “We do a lot of electronic music using a program called Studio One and also creating compositions in groups we’re put in by Mr. Bassett.” James Roberson, well known for his Perm appreciation explained, “We’re given quick composes and we have to make a song with other people in the span of one class” as well as “Prepare for concerts”.  

 They also cooperate often with Vocal students as seen at the DIM the Lights Concert where talented singer and residential Lion King enthusiast Kai Hammond gave an enthralling vocal performance of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Other students, such as James Roberson, performed their own vocals for their songs.  

But where do these students draw inspiration from? Much like Visual Arts and Design and Production students, other artists are a big source of inspiration for the DIM prime. Cat enthusiast and Solitaire master Julia Silver said she was inspired by “Boogie music” and is currently working with her classmates on a “Bach-inspired symphony”.  

Aside from musical inspirations DIM students have a strong community, often partaking in “Dancing and rhythm Circles” and looking to each other for inspiration and support in creative ventures. This community could not be more apparent than when on stage, where everyone worked in tight unison, not just as a professional band, but with an aura of familiarity and friendship amongst the performers.  

I truly hope that this article inspired some of you to seek more engagement with the DIM students. Not enough people at Carver show interest in their friends’ primes and what they do, even though it is interesting. With such a diverse community of creators here, there is a treasure trove of intrigue to explore. I HIGHLY recommend you attend the next DIM concert as the small entry fee is well worth the experience you get and really helps not only the DIM kids, but also helps the community overall in preserving what makes Carver so special.