Strayer Middle School

By: Maggie Wilson, QCHS Senior

A student at Quakertown Community High School, Aiden Myers, a dedicated member of several musical ensembles, recently received an extraordinary opportunity—an invitation to perform at an event honoring the Governor. Although the Governor was unable to attend, the experience became one of the most memorable moments of Aiden’s musical journey.

Aiden was first invited by his friend, Jeet, who asked if he wanted to play at the event. “I was ecstatic,” Aiden said. “I’ve had this goal of playing a gig somewhere since my freshman year and I finally got the opportunity.” Surrounded by accomplished musicians—including Temple University jazz student Gabe Dechellis, All-Eastern trombonist Sean Peters, drummer Jeet Satpute, and bassist Sam Olden—Aiden admits he felt nervous stepping into a group of such high-level performers.

To prepare, he relied on his usual method: “Listen, transcribe, and play.” The ensemble performed a set of jazz standards during the cocktail hour, including some of Aiden’s favorites: “Autumn Leaves,” “Well You Needn’t,” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

During the performance, Aiden recalled a quote that helped him stay calm: “Nobody cares. Tomorrow, that guy in the blue shirt won’t remember a song you played… It kept me calm knowing that if I mess up, I can work on it later.”

While the Governor didn’t attend, the musicians were thanked personally by the North Penn Democrats President. The event—set in an elegant country club—offered a new world for Aiden. “It opened a new door to something I didn’t know I could do,” he reflected.

Representing his school and community was another highlight: “I’ve played with some wicked musicians from Quakertown, and I hope when I leave, I can enter that level of ‘I’ll never forget when I played in a band with…’”

For Aiden, the performance stood out from traditional school concerts. “Band, jazz, drumline—the spotlight’s on you. But with this, it wasn’t. It was a relieving experience and such a different vibe.” The night also showed him how much more he wants to grow: “I’ve got a long way to go as a musician and as a performer.”

Aiden has been playing piano for eight years, though he says he only began to truly care about it three years ago. What keeps him passionate is the universal nature of music:

“I can play with anyone as long as they know some charts. No rehearsal needed. I bet I could play with someone who doesn’t even speak English as long as they have a Real Book and their horn.”

While he plans to pursue Spanish education in college, he’s strongly considering a minor in Jazz Studies or Jazz Performance—and doesn’t plan to stop playing anytime soon.

For younger musicians, Aiden offers heartfelt advice:

“You will fail. Get used to it… Use it as a learning opportunity. No matter how bad you think you messed up, you’re going to continue to fail again, so why beat yourself up over it?”

With determination, humility, and undeniable passion, Aiden continues to embody what Panther Pride is all about—using talent and hard work to push beyond limits and chase new opportunities.