December Student Spotlight: Lukas Scheidle

For December, we are spotlighting a multi-talented musician skilled in drums, beatboxing and music production – 11 year old Lukas Scheidle. Lukas is positive & curious – a creative force who is always bringing enthusiasm and energy to his work.

A student of Jason Cohen, Lukas splits his lesson time between music production and drums, tailoring each session to his goals and what is exciting him most in the moment. Jason says “Lukas arrives ready with his hardware synth in hand, eager to dive into his work. His face lights up with every new discovery. Despite his young age, Lukas has already achieved so much. He has completed and released numerous tracks and has been a regular participant in EMP Listening Parties. With plans to release an album soon and already having some music out, his future looks incredibly bright. I would be remiss not to mention how fortunate Lukas is to have such supportive parents who allow him to follow his own creative path.”

Read on to learn more about Lukas in his own words…

What do you study and why did you pick that instrument?

I study drums and music production. I really like beats. Sometimes, I prefer to design beats on a computer, and at other times, I like the physical experience of playing drums. I feel most comfortable with playing drums over any other instrument I’ve played (saxophone, recorder, etc). Drumming is exciting and you can put your whole body into it.

Who is your teacher and what do you love about them?

Jason Cohen is my teacher. He’s a really great teacher.  I’ve been learning from him since I was almost 7 (I just turned 11)!  I’m constantly focused on improving and Jason is fantastic at helping me to constantly get better at both drumming and music production.  He is really positive and easy to understand. He gives great feedback.  Even when a piece of music doesn’t sound quite right, he’s kind and helps me to figure out ways to work the piece out.  Jason’s a really great drummer. I started learning on drums when I was almost 7, then he introduced me to music production. I really love both now.

What kind of music do you listen to or play? Who is one of your favorite artists?

That’s a hard question to answer because I like to listen to all kinds of different music.  I like lofi beats, rap, alternative rock, ambient music.

What has been your greatest musical challenge?

Musical blocks are tough. I feel stuck when I have trouble coming up with anything that I really like. Letting loose and just jamming on a keyboard or trying new sounds on the computer always gets me going eventually. Even though it’s a bummer to experience a musical block, I know that eventually I will always end up coming across a sound that will feel right.

What’s your favorite thing about Stages or do you have a favorite Stages memory?

My favorite thing about Stages is that it is so welcoming. The people are so nice. It’s a great environment to be creative in and I love the atmosphere overall. I have great memories of seeing my brother perform with his band, The Breadheads on stage.

What are your musical goals? What is one of your non-music-related goals?

My music goal is to just continue improving, continue learning and have a great time doing it.  I always look forward to doing things that feel good. Beatboxing, soccer, basketball, and drawing are some of my favorite activities outside of music.

Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself not related to music.

I really enjoy weightlifting and challenging myself!