MUSIC: Poly senior Israel Tucker learns and plays piano pieces by ear.
By Ashley Gore, Staff Writer
Walk into a classroom in Poly’s 200 quad and you will likely see Israel Tucker (12) laughing with his friends and cracking jokes. His smile, both bright and contagious, brings an air of joy with him wherever he goes. If you get lucky, you can see him where he feels most at home: at the piano.
Ever since he started playing at age 12, Tucker fell in love with music and never looked back. However, he didn’t learn like the average piano player. He reads no sheet music during his performances—he plays everything purely by ear. After listening to a song for a few weeks to a month, Tucker has the talent and ability to replicate the piece with no supplements whatsoever. He doesn’t settle for anything less than his best: “When I play something good, it’s complicated to make it perfect,” Tucker said.
Not only can Tucker perform songs by simply listening to them, but he also writes his own songs. He began writing music when he enrolled in one of Robert Habereder’s many music classes. One of his recently written songs, “Red Moon Night,” is “a walking song, a song that you walk to,” Tucker said. Spontaneity fills his creative process; he writes “whatever I come up with. It just comes in my head.”
Tuckers’ face lights up with excitement when discussing his passion for music. He takes music seriously yet simply; his favorite part about music is “the way how it sounds.” All of his senses play a role in his performances: “I love the texture, and I see pictures in music,” Tucker said. When asked to explain how he sees pictures when he plays, he smiled and said, “I see flashbacks.”
The future looks bright for the humble Tucker. He plans to continue playing piano for as long as he can and also claims he wants to “help my mom around the house.” He graced Poly’s stage during the last school year to showcase his exceptional talents, and he hopes to perform here again before he graduates. In the future, he wants to write and record music that crosses genres. “I was thinking about being rock n’ roll and classical mixed,” Tucker said.
Ms. Summers, one of Tuckers’ teachers, has nothing but high hopes for her talented student: “He’s graduating this year and he’s moving on to bigger, better things,” Summers said.
Ask any Poly Bear—student or staff—and you’ll hear nothing but positive remarks about this gifted musician. “Israel is a pleasure to be around. He’s a hard worker and a very talented young man,” said Summers.
Without a doubt, Tucker will leave Poly sharing his love of music with the world. Make sure to get his autograph before he graduates!