While nearly one third of De Soto High School students participate in one of the many music classes offered DHS, Senior Kyle Wernimont’s musical knowledge began long before high school, and stems far past the information and technique taught in his music classes.
“I think my music love has got to be something that I personally am hardwired to enjoy. Either that, or it comes from no one in my family has a musical background, so I feel the need to fill that gap … I have this drive to always listen to music and to always play music,” Wernimont said.
One of Wernimont’s biggest musical accomplishments is his mass collection of vinyl records.
“My last count on it was 175 albums and about 145 singles. I started collecting a very long time ago. I was a child and my dad pulled a box of singles out from my grandparents house and I was immediately fascinated with them. I just loved the way they looked and everything like that. About a year later, when my dad decided I was responsible enough to handle that format of music, he got me my first album, and it just kind of spiraled out of control from there,” Wernimont said. “One became six, six became ten, and ten became 175. That’s kind of how that started.”
Wernimont has bought almost all of his albums with his own money, and says it is “one of my most prized possessions.”
Even with all his options, Wernimont cannot pick a favorite of all his albums, or even a favorite genre.
“I’m constantly listening to music and constantly trying to listen to new genres and albums … I love almost every genre. I listen to all sorts of music; I listen to all sorts of songs. My taste in music varies almost by the minute, Wernimont said. “If I’m listening to a song, it’s because I want to listen to it at that moment because I want to listen to that song. Then, I’ll move onto a different song. I never have a favorite artist, but the song that I’m listening to is my favorite song at that moment.”
However, if he had to choose, Wernimont says one album he is always drawn back to is ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by The Beatles.
Wernimont’s taste in music varies from classical to reggae to rock and roll, and far beyond that.
Wernimont’s friends also recognize him for his vast knowledge of music.
“He knows a lot, a lot, a lot about rock and roll, the history of rock and roll, and older music. He knows a ridiculous amount. It’s really impressive,” junior Taylor Ramseyer said.
Although Wernimont would love to have a career in music someday, he is beginning to turn away from the idea.
“I’ve slowly started realizing that to teach music is to teach the very specific parts of music, not the artists or anything like that. So, I would rather teach someone the history of music and what songs sound like and the evolution of how we get from here to here and how we developed from piano to electric guitar and things like that. When you sign up to be a music teacher, that’s not really what you sign up for,” Wernimont said.
Instead, he intends to become a United States History teacher someday.
“In all honesty, I think I would rather be a history teacher. But, if I come to the point where I want to become a music teacher, then I always have that option,” Wernimont said