Justin's Love affair with music began early in his life


Justin toots a train whistle


Justin 7th grade Christmas Concert

Justin started learning to play the clarinet in a fifth grade music program at El Toro Elementary School. He did this for fifth, sixth, and seventh grade. In eighth grade he came home and informed me he was going to be a percussionist! My response was "okay, have fun playing on a practice pad while we live in the townhouse". At the time I thought oh boy, this may require ear plugs. Well he had great determination, and was going to prove to me this is what he really wanted to do. He worked at cat shows every weekend, cleaning cages at the judges stations. He saved all his money, and finally had enough to get a drum kit.


Justin's hard earned Drum Set

Looking back at it I should have always known this is what he would choose. As a little boy he use to take my Tupperware bowls and wooden spoons and would serenade me often. He had a little red tape recorder that he would record all of his creative sounds with. Always on the go, always making sounds, always tapping and beating out rhythms. Music is part of his soul, therefore it is only fitting he choose this field. And how wonderful to have discovered who he is at a young age, rather than having to wait a lifetime and regretting lost time.

We moved in the middle of ninth grade to Santa Cruz, California. He ended up going to Scotts Valley High School, as that was the only school at the time that could accommodate the transfer. Only problem was they did not have a music program. They said they would have one in his Sophomore year, but it did not turn out that way. This led to a search for him to find a group to play with. We discovered the Santa Cruz Jazz Society, this opened up a whole new world for him. He continued to play with them throughout High School and occassionally still gets to play with them. This opened up his soul to Jazz.

His Junior and Senior year he went to Santa Cruz High School. He was in marching band both years, as well as Jazz band his Junior year. His senior year he was section leader and was in charge of the drum line, and Band Counsel President. The High School music program did not provide him enough of a music education, so he decided his last semester to take a couple of music classes at Cabrillo college.


Justin in his marching band uniform

He has been going to Cabrillo College for the last year and a half, and will have his Associates degree in Music, Spring 2005.

Steve Robertson has been his drum teacher for the last year and a half.