Meet Raeghan!

Hello everyone! My name is Raeghan McGrath and I am currently a junior at Westfield High School. Music is my life. I play a number of different instruments: including saxophone, bassoon, piano, trumpet, trombone, and more! I am a member of Tri-M music honors society. I'm also a member of our band's student assistant leadership team(SALT). I'm thinking a lot about college and what I want to do in life and right now my current plan is to become a music educator and pass on my musical knowledge to future generations.

What is Music by Rae?

Music by Rae is my online portfolio where I can share my musical journey with the world. The idea of starting this was presented to me over the summer, when a close friend of mine told me that I should sell my music online. I took her up on the idea and started to create an online store so people could buy my music. I worked on the project for a little bit and ultimately gave up. Then one day a few months later I was looking online for some music and when I finally found what I was looking for, I had to pay nearly $10 just to view a pdf. I said to myself, "this is ridiculous. I shouldn't have to pay for music." That's when I remembered my failed summer project and decided to try again but tweak a few things. So instead of creating a space to sell my music, I decided to create a space to share my music. I decided that along with sharing my music, I would share my musical journey as well.

My Musical Journey

My musical journey started way back in grade school when I first started taking piano lessons. If I'm being honest, I didn't love the piano, maybe that's because I was sort of forced into it. But, I still enjoyed music, that I was certain about. So when fourth grade rolled along, I was able to pick an instrument and join band. I chose the saxophone. I loved every second of band class. I took my instrument home and played it day and night. Everything changed when COVID hit. I was only in fifth grade and for the rest of that school year until we were back in person, we would have band class on a zoom meeting with everyone playing on mute. When were finally back in school, band class took place outside, in the parking lot, everyone six feet apart. It was awful and quite frankly ruined all the joy I had once had in band. I didn't take a band class the first semester of seventh grade.

Second semester of seventh grade, I was in band once again. I went into it expecting to hate it. Expecting it to be just like sixth grade. I was wrong. Long story short, band class was fun again. I made amazing friends and I had an amazing teacher who pushed me to my fullest potential. In eighth grade he pushed me to audition for the MMEA Junior District Festival. I didn't think I had what it took but he did so I figured that meant something. I started taking private lessons with him to practice for the audition. In the end, it payed off. I got in and made second chair alto after not thinking I could even make it in. Towards the end of eighth grade I wanted to branch out and learn more instruments. This was when I picked up trumpet.

I got to high school and my band director presented me with so many more opportunities and pushed me even harder than my middle school teacher. Freshman year I once again tried out for the Junior District festival and made it after trying out for the Senior District festival and being unsuccessful.

Sophomore year I tried out for the senior District festival once again. I was successful this time around, having put in more time and effort into practicing for the audition. This same year was when I started playing the bassoon. One day my band director put a bassoon in my hand and told me to go home and learn how to play it. I did and it quickly became my secondary instrument. I also decided to pick up other instruments like the trombone, baritone horn, tuba, and drums. In spring of this same year, I started playing with The Attik band along with a couple for my friends, having been asked by their lead singer, Matt. I then started writing brass parts for the band and was later featured on their EP-Autumn Blues.

I'm now in my junior year and I have more time for accomplishments this year but I already have a few under my belt. I once again tried out for senior districts and was once again successful. I received an All-State recommendation, my audition for which will take place in late January. Aside from that I have picked up yet another instrument. I'm currently trying to learn the flute. Hopefully by the end of this school year, I'll confidently be able to say I can play the flute.

Going back a little bit, sophomore year was a big year for me. This was the year I really started writing music. My very first composition was an arrangement of the Mii Channel for a saxophone quartet. I made it for our annual POPs concert where we have small groups performing in our "Jazz Cafe". Over the summer I created another quartet arrangement, this one was Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. After sharing it with my friend since she was one of the quartet members who would be performing it with me. After telling me how amazing the arrangement was she said that I really ought to put this stuff online. That's how Music by Rae came to be. This is all just where my journey began. Music by Rae is where my journey is going.