Student finds her true calling through community music

May 17, 2019

Student finds her true calling through community music

Had it not been for her attending a presentation about community music when she came to visit the Laurier campus, Ella Latta Suazo might never have found her true calling.

“I didn’t really know about the community music program until I came to orientation,” she explains. “They talked a lot about exploring other cultures, exploring multiple instruments, and being a well-rounded musician. That really resonated with me.”

Discovering the power of music

Now in her second year at Laurier, Latta Suazo sees herself becoming a community music director one day. Studying community music has had a big influence on her life. She’s realized just how important music can be in bringing people in a community together. She’s learned that music can take many different shapes and be accessible to all different kinds of people. She’s also become interested in learning about different cultures and how they can be brought together by music.

Growing through music

“I’ve learned a lot about myself and how to express myself through music,” Latta Suazo says. “It’s really influenced my perception of the world. It’s shown me how deeply-rooted music is in everybody’s life and I’ve grown to have so much respect for different kinds of music.”

Latta Suazo is particularly proud of the time she spent in first year teaching Kpanlogo, a form of African drumming, to newcomer students in a local high school.
Her advice to students considering studying community music?

“Be open to having your perspective changed,” she says. “Be open to music in all forms.”