BY LAURYN BECKER
PHOTOS COURTESY NATHAN WEIS
Fulfilling passions is just one special way Fort Hays connects with its students. And for sophomore Nathan Weis, he’s found that through the music program, he can pursue his passion, while fulfilling his dream.
Weis, who hails from Salina, states that music has always been his future. He is currently majoring in Vocal Performance with an emphasis in Music Production. He also sings for the Fort Hays Singers and for the Concert Choir within the music department.
With how heavily involved he is in the music program, one must wonder where he began his musical career. For Weis, it was within his middle school years that his passion for music began.
“I have been doing music since my 8th-grade year in middle school. I began to sing in my high school choir back in Salina. I would compete for solo and group competitions at state contests,” Weis said.
As far as music production goes, Weis stated that he began writing his own music in high school and soon began producing music towards the end of his high school career.
“I started writing my own music my sophomore year on pen and paper. I would later get into production my senior year of high school, I started connecting with friends and writing music,” Weis said. “Here at Hays I still do the same stuff, it’s just full-time from here on out.”
Being so heavily involved with the music department, producing his own music, working, and hanging out with family and friends; Weis has learned just how important it is to balance his time in order to make it all happen.
“I have a lot going on in the Music department, work, and spending time with friends and family. So I just write out everything at the beginning of the year/semester and work around it. I manage my time very well considering that I must put music first in front of everything I do if I want to succeed,” Weis said.
Weis’ favorite part about being involved with the music program is the emotional tension and connection between the music and people and how it can affect people. As for his favorite part about the music program at Fort Hays, it’s the people.
“One of my motives for writing music is making connections with people,” Weis said. “Whether it’s on a personal, spiritual, educational, or mental level, I manage to find my way to the amazing people I meet in this department.”
Another reason he loves the music department is the passion everyone there has for music.
“Another thing is the passion that runs through the building. Everyone in Malloy Hall is so passionate about what they wanna do and it just makes me happy to see that these students have major goals like me,” Weis said.
It should come as no surprise that Weis’ biggest passion in life is his music. He stated that his biggest drive for his music is connecting with people and gaining inspiration from those connections.
“I am just so passionate about my music. I strive every day to be as creative as a can when it comes to producing, and when it comes to singing at Fort Hays, it is so inspiring when I sing with all of these amazing, talented singers,” Weis said. “I love to make connections. I am so passionate about connecting with people that I can relate to on a personal level because that gives me ideas.”
For Weis, being a Tiger means being dedicated to what he is most passionate about. Weis is proud not only of taking the steps to fulfil his dream, but also of being proud of belonging to the Tiger family.
“To me, being a Tiger here at FHSU means that you are dedicated to doing what you enjoy. Whether that is your major, connecting with friends, getting involved with activities, or building relationships with others,” Weis said. “I can say that, as a Tiger, I have fulfilled all of those concepts and I can proudly say that I belong here. Fort Hays is home, and that will never change.”
For more ‘What it Takes to be a Tiger,’ stay tuned to Tiger Media Network.