by Tom Chambers
Staff Writer
John Joines, a senior music major at the University of La Verne, said he simply loves music.
Music has surrounded Joines since he was in the third grade when his parents bought him his first saxophone. He has been playing ever since.
“Music has been in my life for as long as I can remember,” said Joines.
Joines started composing works of his own under the direction of Reed Gratz, professor of music at ULV. Joines took four years of music classes at Bonita High School, but had not learned about composition until taking classes at ULV. He credits Gratz for his switch from playing to composing.
“The switch was difficult, I had some great teachers along the way: Dr. Gratz, Dr. Kathleen Lamkin, [professor of music at ULV] and Mark Capalbo [music teacher at Bonita High School],” said Joines.
Joines has just recently completed a jazz piece which he worked on for more than a year, called “Piano Lesson Blues.” The piece contains five saxophones, five trumpets, four trombones and a full rhythm section.
Joines says it is his best work and is excited about Bonita High School playing the piece in a concert. He still has many more pieces that he is currently developing. A few of them are traditional pieces, while others closely model Bible versus. He hopes to have many of them published.
After Joines graduates he plans to earn his master’s degree in music from either UC Riverside or Cal State Fullerton. He would like to be a college music teacher.
“Hopefully, one day I can come back to La Verne and teach music, maybe even have Dr. Gratz’s job one day,” said Joines.
Joines gets his inspiration from jazz musician John Coltrane and classical composer Mozart, but it is his family that has kept him in the music world. He credits his mother for sticking it out with him throughout the years.
As a child he had two older brothers who played sports, which made his mother skeptical about buying a saxophone. But she never left his side through the years.
His approach to his music is personal and romantic. He says it has helped him in many areas of his life, including academically.
“Music helps you in school. Music covers a lot of history. It has changed with the times and helped shape the times. Music shapes and changes with cultures,” said Joines.
Tom Chambers
