Laura Hines Wittman, left, owner of Cornerstone Music Studios, Millstone Township, and Kat Drake, who taught a seminar entitled “Classical Rocks! Drawing A Straight Line From Classical Music” at the studios. MILLSTONE —Kathleen “Kat” Drake, 16, wanted to use her passion for music to fulfill a requirement to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award by the fall of 2016.
In pursuit of that award, Kat recently conducted a seminar about classical music and its relevance to modern music at Cornerstone Music Studios at Millstone.
To prepare for the seminar, the young woman from Millstone Township conducted a research project from October 2014 through April. Her seminar in May was attended by 17 people ranging in age from 7 years old to college students.
Kat said she found the attendees to be receptive to the information she presented.
“The response was incredibly positive,” she said. “No matter their age, everyone walked away with a greater appreciation for structures in music and how far musicians (and humans) have come.”
Kat’s seminar was based on the concept that classical music is relevant because music is similar to science.
“Just as biology is built on chemistry, which is built upon physics, music is built upon previous discoveries,” she explained.
For example, Kat said “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap is based on the structure of Gregorian chants. She said Adele’s “Someone Like You” is based on “Evening Star” by Franz Schubert.
“Classical music is the building block upon what we listen to today,” Kat said. “Stripping away differences of culture and time periods, the chordal structure that makes up classical music and contemporary music is very similar.”
Through her seminar, Kat attempted to raise awareness for a type of music that seemed to be “dying” by reviving and connecting it to current Top 40 hits.
“This came through with lectures about music theory, music history and a mash-up performance at the end of Beethoven’s 28th piano sonata and modern songs such as ‘Good Life,’ ‘Love Story,’ ‘Hey Soul Sister’ and others,” she said. “By the end of the seminar, I was successful in sharing my knowledge with the participants and I felt confident they could venture off into the world and convey the information to listeners.”
Kat recommends a documentary by Howard Goodall titled “Story of Music” for individuals interested in learning about the progression of musical history.
Kat said it was meaningful to be able to conduct the seminar at Cornerstone Music Studios because she wanted to give something back to the Millstone music community.
“Cornerstone is where I started taking lessons and the place where my interest in music was truly fostered, so it was a natural choice to give back through the help of their studio,” she said.
She enjoyed teaching the seminar to students and musicians.
“It has been a wonderful opportunity,” Kat said. “I realized that if I am passionate about a topic, like classical music, that with the right kind of attitude … I can get anyone else to become engaged and interested as well. This is how passion is spread through the community.”
Kat is a lifelong resident of Millstone. Her parents are Kathy and Robert Drake. Her sisters are Alexandra, 12, and Sarah, 8.
Since she began playing the clarinet in fourth grade, Kat has been passionate about music. She also plays tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute and guitar.
The young woman attends the Peddie School in Hightstown and plays in the full orchestra, concert band, chamber orchestra, jazz band and brass band.
Kat said she is excited to have completed the requirements necessary to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award.
“Being a Girl Scout has helped me mature, lead and grow for the past eight years,” Kat said. “Achieving my Gold Award has been a goal I have wanted to achieve ever since I started scouting and now I have finally completed the project. It is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.”
B.J. Wood, director of the Older Girl Program of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, confirmed that Kat has completed the requirements to earn her Gold Award.
“She was introducing classical music to the children in her community to make a difference,” Wood said. “Since everyone was listening to rock and pop music, she felt that classical music appreciation is on a decline. The generation today is influenced by today’s pop music culture.”
Kat said being a Girl Scout “has turned me into a courageous, independent woman. I have had the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. It has led me to the decision that in the future I absolutely want to be a leader and to be my own boss. Perhaps I will take inspiration from Laura Wittman, the owner of Cornerstone Music Studios, and open my own music studio.”