Ben Harris/Senior Reporter

Question: How much is an English degree worth?

Paying $10,000 a year in tuition is an indicator of what it costs — but what is it worth?

People who are true artists will argue that the pursuit of art is priceless, that their life is so enriched by what they do that nothing else matters.

I will not argue. For me, in increasing my aptitude as a pianist or writer, money is no object. There is nothing more fulfilling than practicing and doing art. I will go on record and say it; for me, jazz and poetry are better than girls or money. And I know there are plenty of people who share my views; secretly maybe, but they agree nonetheless.

It’s a great feeling. Creating something someone other than my mother (who, thankfully, remains my largest,  and oftentimes only, consistent fan), will enjoy gives a person a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and belonging.

That being said,  man can write in the woods. Or on a mountain after milking a goat. When did being a hermit go out of style?

This, too, is a sentiment I know to be widespread among many of my peers. Can a planet-sized hunk of student loan debt follow a person into seclusion? I wonder.

It’s incredibly tempting, for me at least, to throw my hands in the air, drop everything and move up north to be a farmhand. At least when the day is over up there, there’s no homework. It seems to me a lot of people I know or have talked to have had the near-irresistible impulse to quit everything.

And then there’s this to consider: No deer is going to criticize my politics. So what if I can’t write? So what if my verse stinks? There’s honor in hard work, too, and after my chores for the day, what I do in my leisure time is my own business. It’s primal, visceral and unfortunately, a bit silly.

It takes every ounce of strength in me to admit to myself that my dreams of living on a farm are stupid. I don’t even know any farmers. I’ve never planted anything in my life. I can’t even cook macaroni and cheese without making a mess.

At the grocery store, I have a hard time choosing between raw ground beef, which I have to cook, and frozen patties, which I have to warm up. I can’t win.

Maybe I’m just an idiot. But I have the feeling that plenty of other people are having the exact same problem. Sick of paying for school? Join the club. Hate your job sometimes (or all the time)? Join the club. Broke? Join the club.

Yes. I’m whining. I’m crying fat, voluminous tears. But I’m whining for all of us in the club.

Call me a spokesman. And now I’m finished. I’m stuck here, just like everybody else.

So make the most of it.

DeRoche, an Eastman School of Music graduate and alumnus is the presence of classical guitar on campuses around Michigan, teaching at institutions including Central Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University and Interlochen Arts Academy.

He still finds time for a busy performance career as well. DeRoche’s faculty recital, slated for 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Music Building’s Staples Family Concert Hall, will feature music from around the world, including a Turkish-themed solo piece written by Italian guitarist/composer Carlo Domeniconi, a saxophone-guitar duet adapted from the work of Indian composer Ravi Shankar, and three Latin-influenced pieces for guitar and trombone.

DeRoche said he is excited for the concert and hopes it will raise awareness on behalf of the fledgling guitar studio at CMU, a program still in its formative years.

“It’s a mild form of advertisement,” DeRoche said.

Saginaw junior Ben Schuller, a current member of DeRoche’s studio and performing pop/rock artist in the central Michigan area, described DeRoche as a teacher who cares about his students.

“He doesn’t just teach classical guitar, but he teaches the fundamentals of guitar playing in general, and that’s something I’ve found really helpful in my music,” Schuller said.

DeRoche acknowledges that in certain ways, he’s different than many of his colleagues, especially when it comes to his approach to learning new material. While many players in the classical guitar world will polish a small number of pieces that they’re comfortable with to their maximum potential, DeRoche prefers to broaden his repetoire and move toward fresh material.

“To continue to grow as an artist and musician, I have to challenge myself to learn as a musician” DeRoche said.

DeRoche and Schuller are not the only ones excited about the concert.

“It’s great because it’s unique … how many times have people heard trombone and guitar together?” said Robert Lindahl, professor of trombone, who will be playing with DeRoche on Tuesday.

Lindahl described the concert as a weclome change of pace from other styles of playing, such as the kind he is used to in larger ensebles.

“Playing in an orchestra is like being in a living museum,” Lindahl said of larger ensembles, where he said the music feels more reproduced and less active.

He said he is looking forward to the give and take of chamber music performance, where one musician responds directly to another and vice versa.

“Something about this is more fun,” Lindahl said, noting that while the concert is billed as DeRoche’s faculty recital, the music will involve much more interplay between artists than simply DeRoche accompanied by others.

“It’s chamber music,” Lindahl said, “we’re all equal.”

Other artists who will be performing with DeRoche including percussionist Mike List, soprano Antoinette Torres Tucker and Professors of music, pianist Adrienne Wiley and saxophonist John Nichol. The wide variety of instrumentation is right in line with DeRoche’s taste for the new and unexplored.

“Im a risk taker,” he said. “I want to learn new music and try new things.”

Royal Oak junior Ron Sulewski listens to music while waiting for his BCA 527: Film Directors class to begin Tuesday evening in Moore Hall. Sulewski, also known as DJ Pigpen, started experimenting with mashups after seeing Girl Talk perform live at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival during the summer of 2008. "They inspired me to starting experimenting with music myself," Sulewski said. "To play music I've created and produced on a high stage, like in Vegas or Spain is one of my greatest goals." (Victoria Zegler/Staff Photographer)

Ron Sulewski said his career goal is working in audio production, and he’s helping advance toward that on a weekly basis — as “DJ Pigpen.”

The Royal Oak senior, who started DJing about four years ago, is preparing for his first tour.

This weekend, he will spend three days traveling and performing in Michigan, with shows in Ann Arbor and Pontiac before returning to Mount Pleasant for his last performance.

“I went to a big electronic music festival in Detroit and saw this guy named Girl Talk,” he said. “After that, I just started messing around on my laptop, taking a capella tracks and mashing them with instrumentals.”

Though “Girl Talk,” a DJ from Pittsburgh who makes tracks entirely using mashups, was Sulewski’s first inspiration, he said his top two influences are “Fedde le Grand,” known for “Put Your Hands up For Detroit,” and Steve Angello, a member of Swedish House Mafia.

Sulewski said he decided on the name DJ Pigpen after prodding from friends.

“It actually started when Michael Jackson died. At the time my name was ‘DJ RO’ — for Royal Oak,” he said. “All my friends hated that (and) said it was terrible.”

Sulewski and his friends were listening to Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and when the bass line came on, one of his friends shouted out, “DJ Pigpen keeping it filthy.”

“We all just laughed,” he said. “I didn’t really like it at first, and I thought it sounded dirty, but it just keep on sticking.”

Sulewski said at first his parents thought his interest in making music would just be a fad but have since jumped on board.

“My mom loved my first song,” he said. “My parents are just really good about supporting me.”

As a full-time student who spends a lot of his weekends out of town doing different shows, his mom, Sue, worries about him.

“As a parent, I of course worry about him getting his schoolwork done,” she said. “But we totally support Ron and his music. If you have a passion for doing something, you should go after it, and he does.”

Sulewski’s roommate, Matt Rosenbach, also a Royal Oak senior, has known Sulewski since senior year of high school.

Rosenbach said Sulewski is constantly adding to his collection of music.

“He probably downloads 10-20 songs almost every day,” he said. “I would guess he has 100,000, if not more, songs in his iTunes.”

After graduation next year, he said he hopes to move to New York City and go into audio production.

Aside from DJing, he is also in a music group, “Nice Lab,” that produces original electronic music.

Sulewski’s first tour kicks off at 11 p.m. Thursday when he will open “3Lau,” in Ann Arbor at the Blind Pig. He will then perform as part of “Nice Lab” at 10 p.m. Friday at Clutch Cargos in Pontiac.

The weekend tour will wrap up back in Mount Pleasant at 10 p.m. Saturday at Wayside Central, 2000 South Mission St.

“I practice everyday, and I’m constantly just thinking of what mixes well together,” he said.

Sulewski’s songs and schedule are available on his Facebook page.

Frankfert sophmore, Hannah Rae Beale plays guitar in her dorm room, Saturday afternoon. Beale is a business major who owns her own production company and is a recording artisit. (Tanya Moutzalias/ Staff Photographer)

Hannah Rae Beale has long been performing music behind a microphone, and now she’s learning the business behind the scenes as well.

Beale began working on the performance aspect of music as a sophomore in high school and has continued to sing and play while discovering the way the industry works.

“There are all of these contracts and a ton of things involved with it that are not music-related,” the Frankfort sophomore said. “Music is more important, but I really value education, so I want to learn as much as I can while I have the time to.”

“Being glued” to her phone setting up arrangements for recording or performing has been a challenge for Beale.

“It’s a ton of work, so I’m constantly on my phone emailing or talking to people while I’m also thinking, ‘Oh hey, I have to do my stats homework,’” she said.

She compares her music to Norah Jones and Colbie Caillat but refuses to categorize it into a specific genre.

Beale said most of her lyrics are metaphorical, with “bad boys” providing her the inspiration for her dual-released albums “Hold Tight” and “Dirt.”

“Mean boyfriends, good boyfriends, bad boyfriends,” Beale said “Basically anything any teenage girl would write about.”

Disregarding any professional lessons, the self-taught guitar player said, “I have come in contact with a ton of great musicians who have offered me as much advice as any lesson would.”

One musician who has helped launch Beale’s career is Milwaukee singer and songwriter Ethan Keller.

While on his solo tour in 2009, the award-winning pop artist noticed Beale playing on the streets of Manistee.

“I sat and listened to a couple of her songs, snapped a photo and put it on my blog,” he said. “A year later, I booked her for some shows in Wisconsin and had her open a show for me.”

After providing Beale with a band, Keller joined forces with her to record “Ain’t Nobody,” a song produced entirely over the internet because of distance.

“When I first met her, I knew she was a good singer and fearless,” Keller said.

The artists co-headlined a tour covering Wisconsin, New York and Michigan, playing shows for crowds of up to 5,000 people.

“She’s got a good head on her shoulders,” he said. “People are kind of naturally drawn to her music.”

Beale’s roommate Kelsea Kocan said she’s extremely supportive of her talent.

“Every time she comes out with a new song, I’ll put it on Facebook and tell all of my friends about it,” the Midland sophomore said.

Sharing walls with a musician is more fun than frustrating for Kocan, who said she sometimes tries to help Beale out with her songwriting.

“I think it’s awesome that she has a dream she is working toward at such a young age,” she said.

Sending the message of respecting true talent and true music is one goal Beale said she hopes to achieve.

“I know so many people who are 100 percent better than anyone on TV with so much more to offer, but people just don’t bite into that, because it doesn’t say anything about sex and drugs,” Beale said. “And I would love to change that.”

During winter, when the music industry focuses more on planning and recording, Beale continues to write music she said she hopes influences her audience.

“I strongly believe as long as you’re on this earth, you should achieve the highest goals you can,” Beale said. “As much as you should live your own life, you should also strive to influence the world.”

After releasing, his album "Escape" last summer, Saginaw junior Ben Schuller contemplated his future sound, "I feel like I was taking myself way too seriously. Who am I kidding, I'm a college kid living the dream and I want my music to reflect that," Schuller said. (Tanya Moutzalias/ Staff Photographer)

Junior Ben Schuller still finds time for his passion for music, despite his stacked schedule.

The Saginaw native is now focusing on promoting himself as an artist on campus after branching out from his band, Aurorealis.

Since releasing his debut album ‘Escape’ in the summer, Schuller has played about 15 shows in Michigan.

“It’s not the type of thing where I’m trying to get lucky,” he said. “I’m in the mindset of working my way up and not relying on luck for anything.”

Creating music is all about connecting with others and trying to relate to his audience, Schuller said.

As a Centralis Scholar, he said balancing his honors classes with his music schedule is sometimes a struggle. Schuller is also president of Central Harmony and a competitive power lifter.

“There have been times I had to choose between going to a show and going to my Friday classes,” he said. “But I guess I keep my goals as my first priorities.”

Breaking stereotypes

University Honors Program Director Phame Camarena said he appreciates how Schuller helps break some of the stereotypes about who honors students are.

“Although he is intellectually curious and very bright, part of what makes him special is his creative talent and drive,” he said.

As a final project for his class trip to Beaver Island, Camarena said Schuller co-created a music video.

“The fact that he and his partner filmed, wrote, performed and edited the video within a short window of time with limited tools on the island made the work all the more impressive,” he said.

Schuller said he will play anywhere and will never deny a show.

Ohio junior Brock Thatcher booked Schuller to play at a fundraiser for Phi Kappa Tau last semester.

“Ben was a good friend and I knew his music was mellow and great for a big crowd of people to listen to, but also not overpowering to the point where people can’t still talk,” Thatcher said.

Thatcher, a public relations major, said he hopes one day he will get the chance to promote Schuller on the big stage.

“I’ve heard a lot of concerts in my life and listen to all kinds of music and one of these days I swear (to) you will hear of Ben Schuller somewhere famous,” he said.

Until then, Schuller said he does not care to make money off of his music.

“At all of the shows I play, I burn about 20 to 30 CDs to hand out to just get my name out there,” he said. “I just want as many people to hear it as possible.”

His next album is set to debut next winter.

“I want this to be the kind of album you jam to with your friends in the car, or rock out to in your dorm room before you head out on a Friday night,” Schuller said. “Who am I kidding; I’m a college kid living the dream. I’m having a blast and I want my music to reflect that.”

Dear Mr. Green,

I can’t believe you’re reading my letter! Wow!

I’m a big fan of all, well, almost all, of your work, especially your songs with Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley. You’ve always come across as a breath of fresh air on the radio, which is filled with artists who all too often decide to follow the rules and never dare to be creative or unique.

You’ve recently committed a musical cardinal sin, though, and you’ve made me upset. And if hearing that a reporter for a college newspaper who hails from suburban Detroit doesn’t cause you to rethink what you did (and it should), know that a huge portion of the music community is just as upset as I am.

You know what I’m talking about by now. On NBC’s New Year’s Eve program and “The Voice” promotional show, you changed the lyrics of John Lennon’s 1971 classic, “Imagine” from “Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too” to “Nothing to kill or die for, And all religion’s true.”

If I may quote the cast of Sunday NFL Countdown, ”C’mon man!” What made you think this was a good idea?

Changing the lyrics of any of John Lennon’s (or any of the Beatles’) songs is sacrilege. He was part of the most innovative band in history and, without them, the music scene would look so different, you probably wouldn’t be where you are today. More than that, he’s arguably the greatest songwriter of all-time.

You do not mess with lyrical genius, under any circumstances. Ever.

Lennon said “And no religion too” and not “And all religion too” for a reason. He was a huge critic of organized religion. He saw it as a force of division among people across the world, as the root cause of many of the conflicts and wars throughout history. “Imagine” is a song about peace and unity and Lennon thought religion was an obstacle on the path to peace.

You’re free to disagree with Lennon, of course. Many do, and you’re not the first one to change or omit that line over the years. But that doesn’t make it right. If you don’t agree with Lennon’s message, don’t sing the song. It’s that simple.

It’s like changing the words of your hit song “Crazy” to “Does that make me lazy?” It’s not fair to you. You wrote the song to say what it did, not something else. The same rules apply to Lennon’s songs.

Sincerely,

John

P.S.: Next time, don’t wear expensive jewelry and a fur coat while singing a song about having “no possessions.”

Finger-style guitarist Mary Flower of Portland, Ore. played for a crowd of community members, college students and travelers from all over the state at the coffee shop, 1029 S. University Ave.

Flower has been promoting her eighth and newest album, “Misery Loves Company,” throughout Michigan.

“I’ve been traveling around the hand of Michigan, and I must say, it’s a very large hand,” Flower said.

Before playing, Flower walked around the coffee shop, and met with audience members, asking how they heard about the show and thanking them for coming.

Flower walked on stage without an introduction, and ended the show with requests from the audience.

Throughout the show, Flower encouraged audience members to sing along and joked about subjects like sports, coffee-making and old guitars.

“If you have any old used instruments laying around your house, I’d be happy to take them to Goodwill for you,” she said. “Especially if they say ‘Martin’ or ‘Gibson’ at the top.”

Flower played two guitars of her own during the show. The first, a 1939 Gibson L-00, was played traditionally with metal finger picks to give the song a unique sound. The second guitar was played much less conventionally, lying on her lap.

“I like to surprise people,” Flower said. “People try to put me in a box (of a particular genre), but it’s kind of like a big stew.”

Mount Pleasant resident Dave Demski said he does not usually listen to finger-picking music, but enjoyed Flower’s performance.

“I listen to lots of different types of music: classic rock, blues and jazz,” Demski said.

Lake Isabella resident Mimi Lannen said she also enjoyed the performance.

“She has a lot of warmth and brings the blues to life,” Lannen said. “She has a lot of good imagery.”

Demski heard about the show on WCMU, and decided to attend after hearing her perform Sunday night. He brought Lannen to Kaya with him.

“It was a good choice,” he said.

Wednesday afternoon, Cox played the tuba and his wife, Mary Jo Cox, accompanied him on the piano, while his photography flashed across a screen. Twenty people gathered at Art Reach of Mid-Michigan, 111 E. Broadway St., to watch the show.

Mark takes both of his passions, photography and music, and combines them into one form of media.

“It’s the idea of taking music and creating a story with it,” he said.

He said he has been collecting pictures for 12 years, and incorporates them into his music to create a story.

“I find myself interested in nature and taking pictures of birds,” Mark said.

In one of the songs, “Blackbird,” nature was captured in various pictures of birds.

He used multi-phonics to create many sounds.

Mark has a bachelors degree in music and a doctorate in musical arts in performance from the Eastman School of Music, along with a master of music and performance from Northwestern University. While attending Eastman, he received the prestigious performance certificate in playing the tuba.

He is also a Yamaha performing artist and has performed in major concert halls in the U.S., Germany, Japan and has worked with numerous international performers.

Mark has been a professor at CMU for 17 years and currently teaches tuba and euphonium.

He said his work is unique because most people haven’t heard a tuba soloist.

Mark and his wife met in Maine at a music camp and agreed they have always shared a passion for music. He said they create something special with the combination of their separate musical talents.

“I love working with her and collaborating,” he said.

Mark said he always tells people the joke, “I asked her to accompany me, but I didn’t know it would be for life.”

Mary Jo said she enjoys the experience of creating music together with her husband.

“It’s a passion we both share,” she said.

Mount Pleasant resident Charlotte Fokens said she thought the performance was excellent.

“I have never been to a tuba concert,” she said. “It was thoroughly enjoyable.”

I left everything I know and love in Lansing behind. I also left the music scene that I love and am greatly involved in behind to continue without me.

Now, I’m not naive; I know it will go on without me just fine. Bands will still continue to write music, tour and play shows. People will continue to attend shows, buy shirts and CDs and have a great time. I just wish I could be there to scream along with all of my friends.

I guess it was time to make some new ones.

On my first night in Mount Pleasant I felt like I had never left Lansing’s scene of late night shows and rock ‘n’ roll.

Elliot Street Lunatic was playing Rubble’s Bar. Elliot Street Lunatic is admittedly a group of very good friends of mine so it was quite a welcome, smooth landing into my new life in Mount Pleasant. After that night, I made it a point to get to know some of the players in Mount Pleasant’s music scene.

Having already known promoter Corey Densmore and musician Joe Hertler quite well, I felt like I needed to meet some entirely new faces. I went on a long walk from Robinson Hall to Justice Records where I explored the vinyl and CD racks, the vegan cookbooks and conversed about Joy Division with the locals.

This experience, although bittersweet (since the store is closing at the end of September), helped me realize that wherever I go, there are always people helping to build and maintain their local scenes.

There will always be people just as enthusiastic as me about music. I also learned the Wesley at CMU used to run punk rock shows, and Kaya Coffee and Tea intermittently running shows as well.

Maybe I’m not so lost after all.

Maybe, after a little adjusting, things will be just like home.

The independent record store and show space, located at 617 N. Mission St., will be closing  Sept. 24.

Rorik Brooks said he and his partner, Brent Fisher first started the business because of their passion for music.

Brooks said he has noticed a trend of businesses struggling, not just the record stores, due to the increase of online purchasing.

Brooks said he does not think online piracy plays a role in their loss of sales, although the convenience of purchasing music online could be a factor in the small amount of sales revenue for record stores.

“Piracy is not too much of an issue,” he said. “If people really like something, they will buy it in some shape or form. Chain stores or buying online are where most people are going for their music.”

Along with selling music, Justice Records hosted local and international music groups featuring hip-hop, indie, noise, electronic, punk, metal and rock artists. Bands from Finland, Australia and Canada have performed, he said.

“At lot of key members in the music community here in Mount Pleasant seemed to have moved away,” he said.

Brooks said the location, which is away from campus, could have contributed to the low amount of traffic the business received.

“Business definitely picked up when college students were in town, but it was actually surprising to me there were not more college students that came to either purchase music or listen to the bands,” he said.

Montrose freshman Keith Boswell said he was unaware of Justice Records’ existence.

“I buy most of my music online, but I would have for sure visited to listen to live bands play,” he said.  “I definitely like punk music.”

Fisher said he hopes the closing will not lead to an absence of music culture in town.

“It was fun while it lasted,” Fisher said.  “There is hope for this town, and hopefully something will get started in the future.”

Currently, store items are 20 percent off until Sept. 3, and the markdown will increase as the weeks progress to the final closing.