By Kejsi Zyka, Business Manager
Two small children sit in their grandfather’s lap as he strums the guitar. The toddlers look at the instrument with amusement in their eyes, awestruck at the sound. “Have at it,” their grandfather says, unaware he’s unleashing a passion for music the twins both hold.
Tyler and Conner Roberts play for the First Flight Honors Jazz Band, and while they’ve always loved music, it wasn’t until seventh grade that they fell in love with jazz.
“We both did jazz because we’re both musically inclined,” Conner said. “We both picked up the guitar around the same time.”
Allen Paschall enjoys reminiscing on the days he witnessed his grandsons’ first interactions with music – days that transformed their lives forever.
“Tyler and Conner both showed a great interest at a very young age, I would say around 18 months to two years,” Paschall said. “They would come into my music room and strum my guitars or sit in my lap while I played. I would do the chord changes and they would help strum.”
Paschall’s lifetime of musical experience has made it a joy for him to watch the twins flourish in their own musical careers.
“I have talked to them about what they have and how it’s a gift that needs to be shared with others. Truly, music is a joy to be shared with everyone,” Paschall said. “I started playing at the age of 12. I am 62 now, and I have to say, they play circles around me.”
While their grandfather’s influence led the brothers on a path that has them letting loose at jazz band performances on classics like ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man,” he wasn’t the only musician they looked up to. The twins’ father played bass back in the ‘80s in a Grateful Dead cover band, so music was always around: “It was just a matter of time before one of us picked it up,” Tyler said.
Jazz has created an unbreakable bond between the two brothers. Their enjoyment of music has caused the twins to become inseparable.
“The whole experience has been quite a ride. It’s also been a lot of learning,” Tyler said. “You really learn more about your instrument when you get into this kind of stuff, and we’ve also made a lot of new friends.”
While music has and always will be in their lives, the twins aren’t looking to become professional musicians anytime soon.
“I would love to do it, but there’s no money. There are a lot of things you can do with music, but unless you’re one of the greats, you’re not going to make any money,” Conner said.
Added Tyler: “It’s more of a hobby, and I’ve lost way too many competitions to think I’m one of the greats.”
Considering they’re just sophomores, their jazz journey is far from over, with plenty of gigs still to come at FFHS and beyond. Music will always be a part of their lives.
“It’s in Tyler and Conner’s DNA,” Paschall said.
Junior Kejsi Zyka can be reached at zykake0914@daretolearn.org.
