Teaching, Performing, Dreaming: Dean Confer’s Encore Is Just Beginning

Some of us know exactly what we are passionate about. Others stumble into it and think, “Wow! Where has this been hiding?” When our eyes are opened and hearts pricked, we run toward that passion with all we have. Hosted by Dr. Brad Schultz and Amanda Price, this …. is Mustangs Unbridled.

Learn more about Lipscomb Academy and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X!

Transcript

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;30;18
Speaker 1
Some of us know exactly what we are passionate about. Others stumble into it and think, Wow, where's that? That hiding? When our eyes are opened and hearts pricked, we run toward that passion with all we have. I stand by Dr. Brad Schultz and Amanda Price. This is Mustangs on run.

00;00;30;20 - 00;00;40;22
Speaker 2
Sometimes we stumble upon a hidden talent by happenstance and that unexpected discovery can blossom into something bigger than we ever imagined. In fact, it can become the passion that shapes our lives.

00;00;40;24 - 00;01;01;16
Speaker 1
In fifth grade, Lipscomb Academy student Dean Confer was given his first keyboard. Now a freshman, Dean has received formal training in trumpet and piano and has taught himself to play the clarinet, ukulele and saxophone. He has his eyes set on a possible future in music education, following in the steps of a teacher he admires. Welcome to the studio.

00;01;01;18 - 00;01;06;05
Speaker 2
So let's take a chance here just to get to know you a little bit. So do you have any brothers or sisters?

00;01;06;08 - 00;01;13;28
Speaker 3
Yes. So I have three siblings. I have a twin brother, Hudson, of a younger brother, Maddox, and then a younger sister, Scarlett.

00;01;14;00 - 00;01;19;17
Speaker 2
So a twin brother. Are you in Hudson? Very similar or very different?

00;01;19;20 - 00;01;36;23
Speaker 3
No, we couldn't be more different. So we pretty much live completely different lives. He's more sports oriented. He plays baseball and football while I stick to music. We do both play in the band, which he plays saxophone, so that is something we share in common.

00;01;36;25 - 00;01;40;01
Speaker 2
Now, when did you and your brother arrive at Lipscomb Academy?

00;01;40;04 - 00;01;45;27
Speaker 3
We first started here in sixth grade, which is the same year that I started trumpet in the band.

00;01;46;00 - 00;01;49;21
Speaker 2
Tell anybody, anybody else in your family work at Lipscomb or connected to Lipscomb or.

00;01;49;21 - 00;01;57;03
Speaker 3
Yes. So my mom, she works in the academic support department. She schedules and bills with the tutoring sessions.

00;01;57;07 - 00;02;05;08
Speaker 2
Okay. Do you see her in the hallways when you're walking around? She gives you big hugs. And I love using those types of things. Kids love those things. Yeah.

00;02;05;11 - 00;02;07;01
Speaker 1
Rebecca's grandmother.

00;02;07;04 - 00;02;15;20
Speaker 3
So she works in the lower school. She's a teacher's aide. She comes one day a week and helps around down there.

00;02;15;22 - 00;02;19;06
Speaker 1
And do you go down there to get hugs and kisses just like that? I was talking about?

00;02;19;06 - 00;02;20;02
Speaker 3
I used to.

00;02;20;03 - 00;02;21;27
Speaker 2
But you?

00;02;22;00 - 00;02;22;26
Speaker 3
Not really anymore.

00;02;22;27 - 00;02;27;21
Speaker 2
Yeah. Before we started, you mentioned your grandmother made you some soup and some peach bars. Same grandmother?

00;02;27;22 - 00;02;28;05
Speaker 3
Yes.

00;02;28;11 - 00;02;31;05
Speaker 2
Oh, man. You need to go get some hugs and kisses in the sun and.

00;02;31;06 - 00;02;32;17
Speaker 1
Need to go down to the lower school.

00;02;32;21 - 00;02;34;22
Speaker 2
Yeah.

00;02;34;25 - 00;02;48;06
Speaker 1
So it seems like you. You took to music instantly. Like as soon as you discovered it, you were really excited about it and just took off with it. What was it that led you to be so passionate about music?

00;02;48;08 - 00;02;59;11
Speaker 3
It was mostly curiosity. The concept of learning a new instrument was very new to me and the idea that of playing with other people really drew me in.

00;02;59;14 - 00;03;20;10
Speaker 1
So I asked Mr. Hicks about you, and he talked about you being the band's man of the year for three years in a row and I ask, I said, Is this voted on by peers? And he said, No, it's I determined who gets that designation. So I want to know, you know, you get at one time that's that's an honor.

00;03;20;10 - 00;03;36;26
Speaker 1
You get it twice. That's wow, that's great. But three times. I think that's a testament to your talent and your dedication and maybe even your impact on the band community. So what did it do? What did that recognition do for your confidence level?

00;03;36;29 - 00;03;57;08
Speaker 3
It truly meant a lot to me. It raised my confidence a whole lot and showed that not only my peers recognized my talent, but that my director also recognized that as well. And it gave confidence in my playing abilities, which showed me that was something that I could pursue for the future and that I succeeded.

00;03;57;10 - 00;04;14;10
Speaker 2
So obviously, you love music, but I think it's also important for us to let the people know that you're musically advanced and that this year you made the All-State Band for trumpet, which is very rare for a freshman to do. So what is it that drew you to the trumpet, like being musically advanced, You're probably going to go in a lot of different ways.

00;04;14;10 - 00;04;16;03
Speaker 2
What drew you to the trumpet?

00;04;16;06 - 00;04;32;10
Speaker 3
So the sound, the power, the ability to play super loud. In sixth grade I was a quiet student, and so I felt that that was a creative outlet that I could really express myself. And so that's just pulled me right in.

00;04;32;12 - 00;04;34;25
Speaker 2
Do you ever use it to wake up the house?

00;04;34;28 - 00;04;36;21
Speaker 3
I've never done that, but that's a good idea.

00;04;36;21 - 00;04;38;02
Speaker 2
Oh, man, that's.

00;04;38;02 - 00;04;39;18
Speaker 1
Your homework assignment.

00;04;39;18 - 00;04;57;06
Speaker 2
What an opportunity. So you are part of the Tennessee Youth Symphony, which, by the way, playing tonight at the Schermerhorn, which congratulations on. That is going to be awesome. So what is that like? Because you hear you're playing with other people in the band there. You're playing like an all star group, basically, right? So what is that like?

00;04;57;08 - 00;05;17;10
Speaker 3
So it's it's difficult, but it's rewarding. We go once a week on Monday. We have about a two and a half hour rehearsal. It's it's fun getting to play with other students that share my skill level and interest and getting to perform at the scrimmage. Horn just makes it ten times better.

00;05;17;13 - 00;05;39;15
Speaker 1
All right. So in addition to being a really successful trumpet player, you also have been recognized for voice. And as a freshman, you are you earned midstate choral recognition and then you are also in Hello, Dolly. What was your role? Barnaby Tucker Barnaby So you had some solo lines within that, that musical as well. So what is it?

00;05;39;15 - 00;05;47;10
Speaker 1
What is it that you enjoy about expressing yourself vocally that you maybe don't have the same with the instruments that you play?

00;05;47;12 - 00;06;16;01
Speaker 3
So I enjoy the way that the voice feels personal and unlike a piano where you have to play a physical instrument, it's mine. And it's not like anybody else's. And I just like the ability to freely convey emotions unlike other instruments. I just it's my own distinct, unique voice. And there's still so much that I need to learn about the voice, and I enjoy the process of learning those things.

00;06;16;04 - 00;06;19;23
Speaker 3
So I'm looking forward to all the new things that I can learn.

00;06;20;00 - 00;06;22;29
Speaker 2
You have a favorite line from the play that you had.

00;06;23;02 - 00;06;26;05
Speaker 3
All the Caboose is definitely.

00;06;26;07 - 00;06;27;03
Speaker 1
All a caboose.

00;06;27;04 - 00;06;41;10
Speaker 2
Only caboose. Yes. Batman's on. I what I almost want to say. I will say I did go to the play when you were in it, and you do have a great voice, but you also have very good facial expressions because sometimes your counterpart's up there acting and it can be a tendency to just kind of look at them and watch them act.

00;06;41;10 - 00;06;47;16
Speaker 2
But you were having expressions about what they were saying. So I think you're going to be a very well-rounded actor as well.

00;06;47;19 - 00;06;50;12
Speaker 1
Okay. Well, let's see your expression for holy caboose.

00;06;50;15 - 00;06;51;13
Speaker 3
Holy caboose.

00;06;51;13 - 00;07;09;09
Speaker 2
Is that because I enjoy the facial expression out there. So the other day I was talking to Mr. King about something. I actually about trying to set this up. And he's like, well, I don't know if I can do it on that day. Dane's going to help us teach sixth grade band. And I was like, What? He's teaching sixth grade band.

00;07;09;10 - 00;07;17;10
Speaker 2
Mr. X was, you know, out. And so it was helping out. But that's a, that's a big honor for you doing that. Like, what's that like teaching the class?

00;07;17;12 - 00;07;38;08
Speaker 3
It's fun. I enjoy getting up there and being an example to those young musicians and I want to influence them for the good and hopefully be a big part of their journey to continue with their instrument. I just it's fun to get up there and conduct and be myself and just teach.

00;07;38;11 - 00;07;43;07
Speaker 2
So that's not your first chance to teach, though, right? How else have you tried to teach even beyond Lipscomb Academy?

00;07;43;11 - 00;08;01;02
Speaker 3
So I've taught high school band also, which is same. It's fun. It's good. Outside of Lipscomb, I've helped my younger brother take on the clarinet. I've given him plenty of lessons now.

00;08;01;04 - 00;08;05;01
Speaker 2
And now what about you? What about a YouTube channel?

00;08;05;03 - 00;08;21;16
Speaker 3
I did have a YouTube channel. I posted old trumpet videos of me teaching some simple songs that I look back and cringe out a little, but that was really my first experience with teaching.

00;08;21;18 - 00;08;37;16
Speaker 2
You know, my wife's favorite book to read to her class. And I'm not gonna get it right, but maybe you guys can help me trumpet. It's like trumpet and swan. There's the trumpet of the Swan. Are you familiar with this? Anyone out there help me rap to your car, Monica Okay. I had to get Monica to tell me.

00;08;37;19 - 00;08;47;04
Speaker 2
I was just thinking sometimes Miss Simon and I read some books and little kids everywhere to read that one. It might be nice to have a trumpet involved, So anyway, may lure you in on something else.

00;08;47;06 - 00;08;53;21
Speaker 1
So Dr. Schultz mentioned you too. Have you ever entered your name into Internet to see what pops up?

00;08;53;23 - 00;08;59;14
Speaker 3
I have, yes. Which all the channels I've had usually pop up.

00;08;59;19 - 00;09;18;21
Speaker 1
Well, that's how we found out. We saw ten year old Dean teaching people how to play literally. You had your trumpet up there and you were showing how to move the the valves. And and then I discovered that you had friends with you that you taught you also taught on the piano, and you are using some really advanced software.

00;09;18;21 - 00;09;38;06
Speaker 1
I noticed that you were showing the notes and the bars. And then on one web page, I found that you actually arranged music for multiple instruments. So a couple of things here. Are you self-taught in that or did someone tell you about these software programs and you thought, Oh, I could do that?

00;09;38;12 - 00;10;03;03
Speaker 3
Yeah. So I'm fully self-taught. I've watched maybe a few YouTube tutorials just to get the gist of it. But I've seen other YouTubers do similar things and I wanted to do that and I enjoy the process of learning things. So I decided to teach myself and that comes with the arranging, the making that thumbnail for the video, the actual video.

00;10;03;06 - 00;10;22;25
Speaker 1
So yeah, so I as I was watching, there was one video you did. Was it for for clarinet? Yes. Right. So I want to know, does Mr. Hicks ask you to help him arrange music for a band? Because I noticed that you do it from multiple instruments.

00;10;22;27 - 00;10;27;00
Speaker 3
So he hasn't yet. But I'm all in if he's listening.

00;10;27;02 - 00;10;29;04
Speaker 1
Is that so? You just do it for you and your friends.

00;10;29;06 - 00;10;30;12
Speaker 3
Yes.

00;10;30;15 - 00;10;37;07
Speaker 1
So when it came out, here's a side question about winter time you were in the winter band. What was it officially called?

00;10;37;10 - 00;10;38;15
Speaker 3
Rock n Roll.

00;10;38;18 - 00;10;44;10
Speaker 1
Rock Band. Did you do some of the arranging or was that already done before y'all got together?

00;10;44;10 - 00;10;53;06
Speaker 3
So we just made it all up, pretty much. We just improvised. We found chords and we all just made it up as we went.

00;10;53;08 - 00;11;03;06
Speaker 1
He and I both listened to the Winter Rock Band and it was phenomenal to hear all of you together with Mr. Hicks and Mr. Sanders. It was really good.

00;11;03;08 - 00;11;06;27
Speaker 2
Now, seeing you also with the talent show, sometimes with your friends, you'll arrange the music.

00;11;06;29 - 00;11;07;04
Speaker 3
For.

00;11;07;04 - 00;11;26;11
Speaker 2
That as well. I know, I know. That's always introduced that way, so that's great. So you're clearly talented, performing, you seem to enjoy teaching. You also enjoy acting. So as you start thinking career path, Hey, you're a freshman, you got plenty of time. So this isn't like a pressure cooker, but any thoughts on different directions you're exploring, at least?

00;11;26;14 - 00;11;49;17
Speaker 3
So right now I 100% know I want to do something in the music industry, so I have my eyes set on a band director. That's one of my options. Um, another option is going to study trumpet at university and become a professional musician and play with symphonies and playing gigs around Nashville.

00;11;49;17 - 00;11;58;07
Speaker 2
Especially now, we don't have a marching band. Do you wish we did? Are you like on the way? 100%, Yes. Okay.

00;11;58;09 - 00;12;17;03
Speaker 1
Okay. So we have some impromptu question to ask you about your talents and your passion. Okay. Okay. Based on the videos I watched, you were really good at teaching people how to play instruments that they've never known how to play. So just pretend. Pretend, Brad, you don't do. You played the piano when you were young, right?

00;12;17;04 - 00;12;18;22
Speaker 2
No. I have zero musical talent, so.

00;12;18;22 - 00;12;20;01
Speaker 1
Yeah. Okay. Perfect.

00;12;20;08 - 00;12;22;13
Speaker 2
Difficult situation for me to even discuss.

00;12;22;15 - 00;12;28;02
Speaker 1
So if Dr. Sultan ask you to give tips about the trumpet or any of your other instruments.

00;12;28;03 - 00;12;31;13
Speaker 2
Don't play it. Go ahead if I go with you.

00;12;31;18 - 00;12;36;17
Speaker 1
But immigration, would you share with them what's the most important thing you need to tell him?

00;12;36;20 - 00;12;48;11
Speaker 3
Make sure to have a tight Sure. And firm in the corners and not in the middle so that you can get a nice, resonant buzz to make a good sound on the horn.

00;12;48;14 - 00;12;53;25
Speaker 2
A lot of questions about that entire thing, but it's okay.

00;12;53;26 - 00;12;54;21
Speaker 1
Ask.

00;12;54;23 - 00;12;57;16
Speaker 2
I know it's fine. I'm just wondering because the reason I'm sure.

00;12;57;16 - 00;13;05;01
Speaker 1
The way you hold your mouth for a trumpet, right, that's been talking about is it's different for a clarinet. Yeah. What is it called for? Clarinet.

00;13;05;03 - 00;13;11;26
Speaker 3
It's still called your armature, but you usually curl your bottom lip in on the reed.

00;13;11;28 - 00;13;29;09
Speaker 2
I'm telling you guys, I'm hopeless in this situation. Like, I can't carry a tune. I can hear a song. I couldn't then turn around and whistle it or helmet or anything like this. It's just not my area. And I realize that I appreciate it and I can recognize talent and I love listening to music. It's just not something I can do.

00;13;29;09 - 00;13;39;29
Speaker 2
But I appreciate the tips. I'll work on my amber. Sure. Good. So what's your favorite song that you've performed, either in a talent show or band that's hard.

00;13;40;03 - 00;14;03;05
Speaker 3
So I would say about two years ago I went to this Belmont Camp for Wind Ensemble and we played this piece called El Roller. Corio. I really enjoyed that one. The trumpet part was a big part in that, and it was really fun to play that with other talented high school musicians.

00;14;03;07 - 00;14;06;28
Speaker 1
Was it a fast beat? What made it fun? I miss with that music. It was.

00;14;06;28 - 00;14;16;24
Speaker 3
Very energetic. It was fast, and our director over there, conductor and conducted it in a fun way. So yeah.

00;14;16;27 - 00;14;23;25
Speaker 1
Okay. Considering all five instruments you play, rank them to your most favorite to your I play it.

00;14;23;28 - 00;14;29;20
Speaker 3
So my most favorite. If we were to include the voice, it would be voice would be interesting.

00;14;29;20 - 00;14;30;11
Speaker 1
Okay.

00;14;30;13 - 00;14;38;19
Speaker 3
Then trumpet, then piano, then I would say clarinet, then saxophone. And then finally ukulele.

00;14;38;21 - 00;14;43;17
Speaker 2
I was gonna say piano because I've seen you play piano just as much as I've seen you play the trumpet. So I mean.

00;14;43;19 - 00;14;51;26
Speaker 1
And we should say I have a clip of Dean playing from are playing the piano for the Music Academy recital that I'm going to include with this podcast.

00;14;51;28 - 00;15;02;12
Speaker 2
Oh, great. So is there any instrument that you didn't list or including voice that you would like to learn to play flute?

00;15;02;14 - 00;15;08;28
Speaker 3
I have no flute experience and I feel like it would be a good thing to add to my repertoire.

00;15;09;00 - 00;15;14;24
Speaker 2
So yeah. Do you ever pick up your brother's saxophone and give it a used to?

00;15;14;24 - 00;15;17;21
Speaker 3
I would do it a lot and he would always get mad at me.

00;15;17;24 - 00;15;21;12
Speaker 2
Because you're picking it up and you're really good already. Yeah, I understand.

00;15;21;14 - 00;15;22;06
Speaker 3
Part of it are.

00;15;22;08 - 00;15;24;14
Speaker 1
Because you're using his read.

00;15;24;17 - 00;15;32;17
Speaker 3
Both, but he's left it at school recently, so I haven't gotten the opportunity to play that.

00;15;32;20 - 00;15;34;12
Speaker 1
But intentionally.

00;15;34;14 - 00;15;35;20
Speaker 2
Intentionally? Yeah.

00;15;35;22 - 00;15;37;17
Speaker 3
Probably.

00;15;37;19 - 00;15;39;22
Speaker 2
You guys share a room or you have your own rooms?

00;15;39;25 - 00;15;40;24
Speaker 3
We have our own rooms.

00;15;40;24 - 00;15;44;25
Speaker 2
Okay, that's good. That's good for relationship.

00;15;44;27 - 00;15;55;12
Speaker 1
So we talked briefly about the software that you've learned from your YouTube channel. Is there new software out there that you think you might want to tackle or is there something you're working on right now?

00;15;55;15 - 00;16;18;01
Speaker 3
So currently I'm not learning anything. I'm busy with a lot of stuff right now, so but I would like to learn how to fully operate a video editing software like a professional one, like Final Cut Pro, for example. I don't have much experience with that and I feel like that's something that I would enjoy learning.

00;16;18;04 - 00;16;26;29
Speaker 1
So I think Patrick Carpenter uses that. He was in the winter band. I'm you could always ask him for mentoring for that.

00;16;27;02 - 00;16;37;08
Speaker 2
It'd be great for that. Is there a challenging song that you're like, Oh, it'd be so cool if I could do that, but man, it's going to take some time that you're looking forward to doing in the future.

00;16;37;10 - 00;16;56;02
Speaker 3
Yeah. So the first thing that comes to mind is on piano. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, specifically the Third Movement. I've always enjoyed listening to that and it's something that I've tried to play, but I haven't been able to. But if I put in the work I see it in the future that I could be able to talk about peace.

00;16;56;05 - 00;17;04;04
Speaker 2
All right. Well, Dean, thank you for your time and very impressed and love seeing you, what you've been doing so far. I look forward to what you do in the future.

00;17;04;06 - 00;17;32;08
Speaker 1
Thanks for listening to Mustangs Unbridled, An exploration into the lives of Lipscomb Academy Students, alumni, teachers, parents and interesting folk. We meet along the way to learn more about our school visit. W WW Don Lipscomb Academy Board. Until next time when the Mustangs run free. This has been Mustangs unbridled.