14-year-old from Mount Carmel discovers lifelong love of music

MOUNT CARMEL, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A young lady who decided to pick up an instrument and now has discovered a lifelong love of music.

In this week’s segment of Here’s to You Kid, 28/22 News was in Mount Carmel to meet 14-year-old Melissa Torres Santiago.

Melissa is a ninth-grade student at Mount Carmel Area High School.

She’s only been playing the trombone for two years after a friend convinced her to try it.

“I really always had a liking for music and like I always wanted to know I always knew that I wanted to play something but I just didn’t know if I could or not and one big push that got me to start music is my friend she said she wanted to join band with me,” Melissa explained.

Melissa says it was a really good decision, opening doors she never dreamed of before.

“It has changed my life. It has given me a lot more opportunities so I go places in my in the world and it really like changed the way I see life,” Melissa continued.

Places like the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA). She hopes when people hear her play, it gives them hope in the younger generation.

“I hope they feel happy and grateful that music is still alive in the younger generation and like older music especially since my band really plays like stuff from, like, 1920s. I really hope that they appreciate that this old music is still alive and people today,” Melissa added.

A friend Melissa has made in the band says she is a joy to be around.

“We joined at the same time. We’ve only been here for two years and I saw, like, insane improvement in Finn. They are so good at trombone and I’m so proud of them. We kind of worked together a bit in our section,” said Mount Carmel Area High School Senior Kira Wesloskie.

After high school, Melissa hopes to further her music career.

“Home, in college, I hope to major in music and I really want to be a band director when I grow up,” Melissa said.

Melissa is also in a jazz band. When she’s not doing music, she enjoys swimming and playing basketball.

Here’s to you Melissa!

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