Julia DiFiori
Theme Editor
A star began to shine the Friday before Winter Break when a Costa sophomore spontaneously sang a Christmas carol to English teacher William Brown’s fifth period class, surprising classmates with his talent.
Michael LoCascio’s impromptu English class performance was the first time that he sung in front of a crowd of people. He then performed “Hey Jude” by the Beatles in the Mira Costa Talent Show on Jan. 30, winning best Individual Act.
“I just try to have a good time and pay attention to the reaction of the crowd,” LoCascio said. “I was not planning on getting the crowd involved at the end of ‘Hey Jude’ during my talent show performance, but everyone seemed very welcoming and energetic, so I just decided to go for it. It ended up turning out really well.”
LoCascio got his first guitar when he was 12 years old. He now takes weekly lessons at Dietz Brothers on an acoustic Takamine guitar.
“I thought guitar was a cool instrument, so I decided to give it a try,” LoCascio said. “My mom always thought that I should play guitar when I was little, too.”
LoCascio has also started to write his own music. He hopes that with dedication, his composing skills will develop and allow him to express himself.
“I am an aspiring songwriter, but I’m not very good right now,” LoCascio said. “I just have to force myself to keep writing until I hopefully get better. Being able to write my own songs is a big goal of mine and one that I really want to achieve.”
LoCascio’s dedication to playing the guitar and his laid-back attitude while performing make his performances enjoyable.
“Michael is dedicated, and that inspired me,” sophomore Drew Boettner said. “When I saw how much fun he had with guitar, it inspired me to try playing the instrument myself.”
In addition to songwriting, LoCascio is exploring playing with other musicians. He claims that it is very possible that he will find himself in a band in the future, but for now, he is focused on learning to play well with other people and improving his own skills.
“I think being in a band would be really awesome, but I haven’t made much progress,” LoCascio said. “I have found someone to jam with, and we’ll see how that goes, because I really want to be able to play with someone else.”
LoCascio is heavily influenced by the American rock band the Eagles. While growing up, his father listened to their music, and he became inspired by the band when he watched a documentary on the history of the band.
LoCascio recently attended an Eagles’ concert on Jan. 24 at the Forum in Los Angeles. He said it was inspiring to see the group perform live and experience its talents in person.
“Glenn Frey, a lead singer of the Eagles, is probably my biggest role model at the moment just because I aspire to be a performer and writer like him,” LoCascio said. “It really left a mark on me, and then I started listening to their music, trying to write songs and performing. It just amazed me how talented they are and how they have that ability to give you chills while listening.
Seeing them in concert a few weeks ago was definitely a cool and memorable experience.”
Although he has taken guitar lessons for several years, LoCascio has never had formal voice training. Instead, he has been teaching himself over the years.
“I would always sing in the shower and sing anytime I was alone, so I’ve just been doing it forever,” LoCascio said. “I have such a great respect for people that can write and perform their own music.”
Those who have seen him perform think LoCascio’s successful performances indicate his musical potential, which he continues to improve. His advice for musicians who want to make progress like he has is simple.
“Just give it a try, because if you don’t like it, which is certainly possible, then you can just drop it, and it doesn’t matter,” LoCascio said. “But you never know if you’re going to love it until you try it. Music allows me to express myself.”
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