Join us in congratulating Dominic Fetzer on winning February’s Student of the Month Award! Dominic has been very dedicated to his music studies at Hunterdon Academy of the Arts for over a decade now! Besides playing the piano, Dominic has some other interesting interests, as he shared with us in below interview:
How old are you, and when did you first join Hunterdon Academy of the Arts? I am 14 years old and joined HAA when I was 3 years old (with Ms. Ann Engberg). I started piano when I was 6 years old, in first grade.
What do you study at Hunterdon Academy of the Arts, and who have been your teachers
here? I study piano and my teachers have been Mrs. O’Neill, Mrs. Peare, Ms McCathran, Mr Gallagher, Mr Waddles, and Mrs. Cotra-Reljin. I also recently began to study voice with Mrs. Dodich and Ms. Maggie.
What is it like to be studying two different programs (piano and voice) at the same time? And do you have a preference? I think that my piano classes will actually help me with my voice classes - but not the other way around! It’s fun to do both and both are core to me. I just think about it as 2 things I enjoy learning and doing.
What do you like about making music and performing? There is no deep meaning about it - I just love to do it. Just like some people like video games, I like to make music! I also love to perform in public because I like to produce the enjoyment that it brings to them, I enjoy the rapport with the audience, and, I confess, I also enjoy the attention!
What do you like about being part of Hunterdon Academy of the Arts? HAA has been a part of my life and family for years! I have very much enjoyed learning from all of my teachers, they were all very warm and friendly.
What kind of music do you like to listen to in your free time? I like classical music, especially baroque (as does my Dad!) But when we are driving in the car, I like to listen to random pop songs.
What would you like to do after graduating high school? Any plans to pursue a music career? I would like to study math and quantum physics. I understand that quantum physics allows for incredible new technologies that would be of tremendous service to mankind. Playing music is something I do for myself and would enjoy doing on the side. Playing music gives me peace. Playing music has helped sharpen my focus over the years and taught me to persevere. At first, I was very frustrated, but learned to enjoy the small successes and plow forward.
Other than your music studies, what are your favorite activities? On Saturdays, I fence in Lambertville. I am now in my second year and find fencing incredibly challenging. You get knocked down a lot and you have to pick yourself up again every time!
What else would you like to tell us about yourself? I also love to photoshop, video edit, and play billiards whenever I can - but have little time for all of this. My most far-fetched dream is to live to see humanity colonize Mars!
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