By Sarah Yoo
The spontaneous sounds coming from the band room every day during lunch are no random feat. Upon opening the front doors, a string of melodies entrance you towards one source: senior Adam Van Boerum.
Van Boerum is one of the musical geniuses in the Fountain Valley Royal Regiment (FVRR). From vocals in choir to playing a number of instruments―among which are piano, violin, bassoon, clarinet, organ, flute, sax, trumpet, mallet percussion―it is evident that musical arrangement and composition are only a natural extension of what he can do.
Many people turn to creative mediums as a form of expression. To Van Boerum, composition is one of his means.
“Composing is a way for me to express how I feel and a way to make music I want to hear,” Van Boerum said.
Before he composed, he came from humble beginnings: elementary piano and violin with his mom. She also played the bassoon, a double reed instrument, which is now his favorite instrument to play. Although he was more or less indifferent to music early on, his participation in choir, band and orchestra quickly became an influential role in his life following the initial exposure from his mother. In fact, he first began arranging music based on the scores of choir music he sang.
“My mum is very musical…At first, I wasn’t super into it, but as I got older, I started to enjoy it more,” he said. “My composing style is very influenced by the choir I’m in. The two conductors who conduct us write all their music and their style, I just love what they write.”
Currently, he writes compositions for the whole symphonic orchestra, complete with winds, strings and percussion. He enjoys the rich, whole sound of these instruments, especially the French horn.
“My favorite instrument to listen to is probably French horn. I think it’s so grand and has such a beautiful sound,” Van Boerum said.
Van Boerum only really began composing his own original music in his sophomore and junior year after his parents decided to buy him professional music software. With that came obstacles like school, work and lack of ideas, but once he starts, it’s impossible for him to stop.
“Once you have the first idea down and you love it, you can play off that for hours and hours,” Van Boerum said. “Whenever I have time, you can find me on my computer composing music.”
Today, he is the band president and woodwind captain in FVRR, as well as 2021’s music coronet nominee and first chair bassoon in the district honor band. His other notable experiences were performing at Carnegie Hall with his church choir, which he was in for 12 years, the clarinet section leader during the pandemic, and a five on the Advanced Placement Music Theory exam.
His passion for composing would be incomplete without these experiences as a performer. Both have critically shaped Van Boerum’s love for music.
“All aspects of music I really enjoy. Playing and composing music are two very different things for me. Composing is fun because it’s me. I’m expressing parts of myself…playing is an entirely different challenge…I try to make other people’s music as beautiful as I can,” he said.
Although musical arrangement and composition is mostly a hobby, Van Boerum has currently taken strides towards making his arrangements a reality. He hopes to integrate his music with the community by having his arrangements played by small groups of musicians in the FVRR at public events.
“In the band, we’re doing a few small ensemble things and I’m arranging music for them to play,” Van Boerum said. “I’m really excited to hear how that’s going to turn out.”
Van Boerum dreams to pursue a career in music and continue to compose on the side. Wherever life will take him, he knows he will always be surrounded by music and hopes others learn to love music tool.
“If you’ve ever been interested in learning an instrument and any music, go for it. Now is your time for you to do it. Once you become an adult, it’ll become harder and harder to it. So now is the time to test your interests,” he said.
