Students at Horizon Honors are very proud of their musical abilities. Maybe they have an amazing ability to play the flute, maybe they always get just the right chord on their guitar, or maybe their voice is simply awe-inspiring.

So why are all these students just sitting in a choir or band class, waiting for the conductor to nod their head approvingly and then help the next student?

I’ve met a great many people here at Horizon Honors and a few with an indescribable musical talent. But it always irritates me when I compliment them. They could successfully make a living off of their talent, and they simply reply with “Thank you! But I’m with the choir, so my voice is put to good use.” And these are the students who want to “go solo,” and become formidable people in the music industry.

Horizon Honors tries its hardest to get students moving throughout the world, and that’s great. They perform at Disneyland, they sing at the capitol, they go to music festivals – but it’s a group effort for these students. They always sing together, they play music together, they travel together, practice together, but it’s all together. Where’s the practice for when they start out on their own? The Performing Arts Exhibition, or P.A.E? That’s just another talent show to anyone outside of this school. It’s just another talent show to the kids in Horizon Honors. Which producer is going to go to another one of those? These kids with powerful voices and talents are just sitting back and waiting for that lucky night, a one in a million chance.

And then there are the students with the dream of becoming that famous pop singer or rapper. There are a great many opportunities for the kids who want to go into a career with opera, or join a big choir, or maybe an orchestra, or tour all around the world with their cello. They get the chance to chase their dreams. But look at the students who are striving for a nomination for a Grammy. These students are simply ignored or even denied the opportunities. For instance, productionhub.com enables you to search for producers and how to contact them, within your own city. If I can do this so easily and have a few great producers in the Phoenix area under five minutes, why can’t the school? Wouldn’t this be a way to cover every students’ wants and needs?

A person with musical talent should learn to develop that talent outside of school. With someone more experienced. Without the threat of a grade hanging over their head. Without their voice being drowned out by others. With an audience there simply to watch them play. Not a group of students on the stage. Just one kid with just one undeniable talent.

It’s not okay to be craving your name in lights and think that that’s going to happen without putting in the effort to do get there. With that blindfold over so many students’ eyes, the talents Horizon Honors has worked so hard to develop may just die with their graduation.