Aaron Salazar Rivera has had a passion for music ever since he was little. The sophomore taught himself how to play guitar and joined choir just to improve his vocals.
“At the age of 13, I got more into rock and roll and heavy metal, and now it’s what I really want to do like with the guitar and singing,” Salazar Rivera said.
Last year, Salazar Rivera’s art teacher Miguel Alvarez asked him to show him some of his guitar skills. Aaron brought his guitar to Alvarez’s class during flex later that week, and that’s where he met his future bandmate Aaron Kellar.
Kellar, a junior who also plays guitar, and Salazar Rivera realized they had real potential when they played together. They sparked the idea of starting a band. They later posted on their class Snapchat story asking if anyone would like to join.
By the end of last school year, they had a rock band called Mirage with five members.
“It started with Aaron Kellar, he posted on a story saying, ‘We have a band but we need a drummer,’” said percussionist Ethan Durand, who is a junior. “I play drums, so I was like, ‘Hey I could fill in.'”
Junior Edun Albeit also saw a post asking for people who could play instruments. Albeit plays electric guitar for the band, but he also plays saxophone and the bass guitar.
Madelyn Haynes, a sophomore who sings and plays bass guitar for the band, found herself joining the group when Durand reached out to her saying they needed another singer.
Although the band practiced a lot over summer break, finding times where they all are able to attend practice during the school year has been more challenging.
“We haven’t been able to get together recently… with school really starting and people having to do stuff for after school activities,” Durand said.
Mirage’s main goal right now is to get the opportunity to perform at one of the school’s pep rallies.
Even with the struggles of not being able to get together much right now, the band still manages to maintain their friendships, and they prioritize keeping in touch.
“We are all friends,” Salazar Rivera said. “I don’t see them as bandmates, we practice, we jam out, but we also just hangout.”
