{"id":8835,"date":"2016-06-02T14:16:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-02T18:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.spcollege.edu\/arts\/?p=8835"},"modified":"2023-09-12T08:19:54","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T12:19:54","slug":"young-the-giant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.spcollege.edu\/arts-humanities-design-educational-information\/young-the-giant\/","title":{"rendered":"MIRA students open show for Young the Giant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Opening on the big stage for Young the Giant was a dream come true for Miroux band members Jonah Hollander and Natalie DePergola. Students in SPC’s Music Industry and Recording Arts program<\/a>, the band kicked off the 97X Backyard BBQ show in downtown St. Petersburg on May 28.<\/p>\n

Meeting Young the Giant<\/h3>\n

The gig came to be after the group\u2019s performance<\/a> won the Ferg\u2019s Live competition, which secured the 97X show for the young band. DePergola said she was a big fan of the other bands there, and Miroux had the chance to meet them and make some connections.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was crazy,\u201d she said. \u201cWe met the other bands and even swapped phone numbers with Young the Giant. It was a super-cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

DePergola, who was previously featured in a story on this blog<\/a>, is\u00a0a dual-enrolled senior in the Florida Virtual School and SPC’s MIRA program. She is also an artist with the Zildjian cymbal company and ddrum drum company and a finalist in\u00a0Drum!<\/em> magazine’s “Hit Like a Girl” international competition.<\/p>\n

Hollander is an\u00a0incoming MIRA student and a graduating senior from Lakewood High School, where he has been a bassist in the school jazz ensemble, which was recently named grand champion at the Crescent City Jazz Festival in New Orleans, where Hollander also won the award for top improviser.<\/p>\n

Both students also participated in the 2015 GRAMMY Museum Revolution project<\/a> at Ruth Eckerd Hall, an invitation-only program that offers creative young musicians a chance to engage in musical discourse and performance with other talented youth. The students learn about\u00a0music history, theory and composition, and they also enjoy one-on-one mentoring sessions with GRAMMY nominees and\/or winners, and form ensembles with their fellow classmates.<\/p>\n

MIRA Department Chair Patrick Hernly said that SPC keeps a close relationship with Pinellas County Schools.<\/p>\n

“MIRA assists PCS with curriculum design related to commercial music and music technology,” Hernly said. “It\u2019s a nice symbiosis because it enables us to do good community outreach work, but then it also is a good recruitment tool.”<\/p>\n

DePergola, who just finished her first year in the MIRA program, said she has been learning music theory and new instruments.<\/p>\n

“I love it at SPC,” she said. “I’ve been learning from a lot of new teachers, and it’s really helping me grow as a better musician.”<\/p>\n