Only recently has senior Ted Simons become fully immersed in the world of music. After picking up the saxophone in elementary school, he began exploring the instrument more seriously in his sophomore year.
“When we were choosing instruments in elementary school, it just looked the coolest to me,” he admitted. Although the saxophone didn’t immediately spark his interest, Ted has made significant progress, now pursuing the instrument both in and outside of KO.
“I switched to the baritone saxophone in sophomore year and then joined Jazz Combo in junior year,” Ted said. “It was a lot of fun to play jazz without any sheet music.” Ted credits his motivation to practice more frequently to his freedom in choosing what songs to play. He was also inspired by the passion of his former peers, Jack Gold ’23 and Jaedan Curcio ’23, who regularly practiced and performed throughout their KO careers.
Yet another musical inspiration for Ted is professional saxophonist and clarinetist Gerry Mulligan. “I listened to him when I was playing the baritone saxophone, but I’ve been listening to some new artists after switching to the tenor saxophone a few months ago,” he mentioned.
The KO performing arts department, equipped with talented teachers and myriad resources, has been instrumental in Ted’s musical career. “[Band director] Mr. [Todd] Millen has given me so many resources and things to practice, which has helped me create a path to improve,” he said.
Outside of the classroom, Ted participated in the Litchfield Jazz Camp over the summer, which was recommended by Jaedan. “I did it for a couple weeks, and it was just a great experience,” he reflected. “The camp had professional musicians teaching us, which was really helpful.”
When he’s not perfecting his craft, Ted can be found mountain biking or running at the West Hartford reservoir for cross country. He is also a member of the KO swimming and diving and tennis teams. Ted noted that he certainly plans to continue playing the saxophone in the future. “I don’t think I’ll do it as a profession, but I definitely want to continue playing in college,” he said. “I think I might try out for the marching band.”
Ted reflected on the importance of having a hobby such as playing an instrument. “I think it’s very rewarding to practice something every day and really see yourself get better,” he said. “My favorite part is looking back on the months and seeing what I can do now compared to what I was able to do in the past. That’s the reason I found it so fun.”
We wish Ted the best of luck with his future musical pursuits!
