Arts Profile: Derik Bron
By Allison GoldstonStaff Writer
Oct 31, 2004
Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA
SVC student expresses emotions through music
Name: Derik Bron, 18, of Sedro-Woolley is a sophomore at Skagit Valley College through the Running Start program.
Arts role: Bron plays the piano, guitar and trombone, and sings.
Recent accomplishments: Bron has been taking piano lessons since age 7.
From sixth through eighth grades, Bron was a member of the concert and jazz bands at Cascade Middle School, playing trombone.
He has been taking guitar lessons for four years, but says the piano is the instrument he focuses on because "the piano has the most feeling and the most expression."
Bron is active at Christ the King Community Church in Sedro-Woolley. When the church opened several years ago, he started playing in the worship band. Soon after, he began an internship under the direction of the worship leader, eventually taking over as worship leader. He also is part of a mime team that he describes as "Christian music set to mime."
During the 2001-02 school year, Bron and his family lived in China. While his parents taught English, Bron learned Chinese at a local college. He also took piano lessons from a Chinese piano teacher.
"My Chinese wasn't good enough to talk musically," Bron said.
But he did learn how that culture views music. "It was really cool because I was able to get a different perspective," he said.
Recently, Bron received a $750 check from the Music Performance Department of the American Federation of Musicians, an organization that supports young musicians pursuing a music career. To qualify, he had to write an essay about his accomplishments and future plans. Bron also wrote about his favorite piece at that time — "Rockmonoff Prelude in G Minor."
This year, Bron is a member of jazz band and choir at the college. He's also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an organization reserved for students with high grade-point averages.
An upcoming project: Bron is practicing for Skagit Valley College's February performance, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," where he'll play the piano as part of the jazz band. And he remains active in his role as church worship leader. He leads about one service every three weeks, so he has time for his studies. Praise from associates: Sam Middlebrook, worship arts pastor at Christ the King in Bellingham and former pastor and worship leader at Christ the King in Sedro-Woolley, mentored Bron, describing him as "extremely teachable."
"He has a passion for learning more about music and he sees the world of music with eyes that are wide open," Middlebrook said.
Those who know Bron describe him as quiet, but Middlebrook explains "he sees music as a chance to express himself. He's not an extremely extroverted person but he uses music as an outlet to express who he really is."
Artistic goal in life: Bron plans to transfer to Western Washington University this year to pursue a music education degree, and possibly minor in Chinese. He hopes to earn a master's degree in music education.
"I'm praying a lot right now," he says. "I want God's will to be where my life is headed."
Bron also is interested in Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia, to receive more worship training.
He might even end up in China, teaching English. He says he's letting God figure that out.
"Wherever He leads me, I know that it will turn out awesome and I will really be used."