By Alyssa Ramsfield
Alex Jones is not your average freshman at Timberline High School. A lifetime Lacey, Washington resident, Jones has been a member of North Thurston Public Schools his entire life. “I went to Horizons when it had an intermediate school and attended one of the first classes in the Challenge Academy at Aspire Middle School, in the same building,” Jones stated.
At age 11, Jones decided it was time to take on a musical challenge in his life. “My mom plays piano and organ. She’s a musician for our church,” he said. “We tried lessons once…it didn’t work out.” Jones quickly took matters into his own hands and began learning the piano from a different source. “I already had a background in other instruments and friends who could play. I knew I could figure it out.”
Soon after getting acquainted with the keys, Jones began composing his own pieces. His first official composition was entered into a competition and won second place within his age group. “Composing was like writing an essay. If you can read, you can write,” he explained. “My time at Aspire’s Challenge Academy was the first time I felt like I really had to work. This work effort inspired me to do as much as I could in all aspects of my life, including music.”
Jones’ latest composition, which is getting him a great deal of attention across the community, was also provoked by his time at Aspire. “I wasn’t the best student in orchestra class. I wasn’t always very respectful to the teacher. I was First Chair, but Mrs. (Swannee) Pearson and I never really clicked while I was in her class,” he explained. Even as a typical middle shool student there were a few moments with Mrs. Pearson that stood out to Jones during middle school. “She would just pull out her violin and begin playing for us out of nowhere. It would settle the class down and put us back on track. She was incredible.”
Swannee Pearson is described time and time again as just that, incredible. Pearson was a talented musician and teacher who taught in the North Thurston Public Schools district. Specifically, she was the orchestra teacher at Timberline High School and the mastermind behind the orchestra program at Aspire Middle School. After a hard fought battle with cancer, Pearson passed away earlier this year. “My favorite trait about her was that she was an actual musician, not just someone who could play an instrument,” described Jones.
After hearing the news of Pearson’s passing, Jones knew he had work to do. “I felt like I owed her something. I felt that I needed to honor her,” he explained. “She was someone who taught music and was an astonishing musician. These are not easy jobs. She had a way of making high school and middle school orchestra interesting which never happened for me in elementary school.”
Jones swiftly began composing his piece for Mrs. Pearson. Instead of focusing on just one moment or class with Pearson, he decided to take a look at the whole picture. “A lot of famous musicians talk about making songs about one specific experience they’ve had. If you want to write something great, you have to use many different experiences. You have to put your whole self into what you are playing.” This is exactly what Jones did as he successfully composed, “When Tomorrow Starts Without Me.” The song has been performed throughout the North Thurston Public Schools district and has been taken on as a loving memory of the beloved orchestra teacher.
The accolades have been streaming in from community members for his beautiful piece. While many people find his work awe inspiring especially at such a young age, Jones doesn’t feel he is doing anything that he hasn’t seen others do around him. “Teenagers are benefiting society. There are a lot of them who are doing amazing things,” he proclaimed. “The good far outnumber the bad. I know that I’m not alone.”
Through his writing and music Jones has found, “If you can connect music to your whole life, you are going to be a fantastic musician.” As a 15-year-old, Jones is unsure of what the future will hold. “I know I will continue to compose and play music, but I’m not sure it’s something I would do professionally. I have a passion for math and science as well. There are a lot of opportunities out there. I’ve also considered the possibility of becoming a music educator like Mrs. Pearson.”
