Music resonates with almost everyone; whether it be playing it or listening to it. For Coppell High School sophomore Georgina Bourbon, her passion for music will be reinforced as she attends a prestigious arts school over the summer.

Recently, Bourbon got accepted into the Interlochen Arts School in Michigan. The school gives a huge opportunity to many young adults who have a passion for the arts, to showcase and strengthen their abilities. Different sectors of art encompass it, ranging from dance, theatre and creative writing to music, film and more.

Notable alumni from this prestigious organization include nine-time Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Norah Jones, actor Ed Helms and co-founder of Google, Larry Page.

Bourbon lives and breathes music. She is a choir student and takes piano lessons weekly. She has loved and adored music ever since she was a young girl, and this school will open up new opportunities for her.

What is the Interlochen Music Arts School?

The Interlochen Music Arts School is a performing arts school located in Michigan. It’s a school in which they focus on different art forms such as music, dance, visual arts, cinematography and creative writing; all of the more artistic parts of your learning career. It’s a stepping stone for people to have a career inside of the arts. Their summer programs are through the whole summer, varying in different lengths, and through different divisions or different topics – whatever you’re trying to as they call it ‘major in.’ So I auditioned for the singer-songwriter program.

What do you do during the summer program?

It’s a two week intensive course. I’ll have assignments of let’s say: writing a song about a certain something that causes great pain. I’ll get two or three days to work on it and then I’ll perform it in front of whoever my group is. Then there’s also day performances [where] you get to perform your own compositions in front of the whole camp and that’s hundreds of kids. Artists like Norah Jones, Feist, and people who have been successful in the music industry, come and teach, perform and give you a feeling of what it’s like to be a musician.

Why did you decide to apply?

I love music and it has been apart of my life forever. It was just a natural progression for me to start writing my own music. I love creating my own music and it’s something I get to share my feelings through. I get to share different thoughts – a beauty that I just don’t find in anything other than music. Being able to audition and get into such a prestigious school, to have the opportunity of growing as a musician and possibly having it as a career, is pretty cool.

What is the application process?

They have this online portal which has forms you have to fill out [in] short answers, [and] all sorts of different tasks you had to do. I also had to record my own songs and type out my lyrics, and put those in a folder. I had to talk about something that affected me in life and my music, how long I’ve been doing music, and then I had to write one song [which] I had to perform on video – I had to type up the lyrics [to the song] and submit them as well.

How do you think this summer program will change you as a musician?

It will help me learn how to make my music something that will be able to be different than everything that’s out there today. I think my music is already pretty different, but to have [that] maturity and understanding, to really send a message, I think that it’s going to allow me to become someone that could actually have the opportunity to do something with my passion, not just be one of the many people who has talent, but doesn’t get to explore it. I think it’d be amazing if Interlochen led me to having a career in music.

Do you want to pursue music as a future career?

I’d want to be The Beatles in singular form, or Regina Spektor or Chris Thile – somebody who’s able to write their [own] music and perform it in front of audiences. I’d love for that to happen. The probability of it happening is so small but I mean it’s my dream. I just can’t even imagine. I don’t know if getting in has fully clicked with me. I know it’s a big deal but I’m still like ‘huh.’ I think I will give [music] two years, where I just focus on it completely and see where it goes. If [nothing] happens, I won’t stop doing it, I just wouldn’t pursue it as my only form of career or income.

What do you do music related? What is your favorite instrument?

I play piano, I sing, I can play guitar, violin and the dulcimer.

Why did you get into music?

When I was 4 I had my first violin lesson and then I just played music since I was very little. My dad always put music on in the car and played music when I was at home. Music has always been around me. As soon as I could learn [to play an] instrument, we [were moving] to Texas, and I learned piano. I love the piano. It’s definitely my favorite instrument and something that I just love to do. It’s just part of my life now.

How would you describe your music genre and your songwriting?
My music isn’t necessarily pop, it has jazz and blues elements, but it’s not anything specific – so it’s indie. I think that, for me, lyrics are very important. I don’t really write a song by first writing the music or first writing the lyrics. I just sit down at the piano, start plucking at chords and then out comes random words – they just kind of flow. What comes from my mouth makes sense and I don’t change it that much because it’s just what’s there and what I’m feeling. My songs are not dark, but not necessarily happy either. They’re just questioning, or [like] I’m trying to describe something, a feeling. [The lyrics] are hard to explain but I like minor keys, I like diminished sounds, I like when it clashes, and then it resolves itself and makes sense.