Let Ideas Spark and Flow

Any kid who can play the piano, violin, sing and write songs, all before they can drive is definitely fired up about music. Ollie ‘22 has been tinkering since he was 6 years old but didn’t start seriously until he found his passion in 9th grade with SCH’s orchestra and music program. Now, as a senior, this passion is fully stoked. As our Jamie Bell Songwriting Contest winner, he had the opportunity to record his original work in SCH's brand new studio (with the same name) this spring and work with a professional band and sound engineer. If you were lucky enough to attend Wednesday’s Upper School Concert, you would have caught Ollie playing his piece with his fellow students.

Ollie draws on his musical talents when firing off compositions. He keeps an open mind and lets the music take hold. For him, “Songwriting is less about the final product and more about the process. There is always a story to tell if you look close enough, so I just let the ideas flow.”

Ollie has had many mentors in his life to get him to this point, not to mention hours in SCH’s music department throughout the years, but he finds inspiration off-campus too. “There are countless influences in my work but I think the person who had the biggest effect on me was my violin teacher. He taught me that musicianship is not just about playing the right notes at the right time. It’s about listening to yourself and your body […] your interpretation of the music and the feelings you create.”

Want more from this talented musician? You can find Ollie on Spotify. But don’t let that casual phrase fool you, it usually takes over a year to get something to click on Spotify. Keep Ollie on your playlist because this SCHer has a spark, and his music will catch fire!

Our 2021-22 social media campaign, Fired Up Fridays, pays tribute to the message engraved in the stone mantelpiece above the fireplace in the Henry Library that reads: “Kyndle yr awne ffyre” (Kindle Your Own Fire). Each Friday we will shine a light on members of the school community whose passion runs deep for a particular interest, activity, class, or hobby. #FiredUpFridays posts on Insta and Facebook, so be sure to follow along!