By Abby Whelan ’14, Staff Writer

The annual instrumental concerts at Newark Academy never cease to amaze the community. The highly impressive mellifluous tunes and sheer talent that is shown by the orchestra, band, and jazz band numbers are the talk of the town every time they set foot on stage. However, out of these extremely gifted groups of students, there is one person who stands out. Nathaniel Okun, also known as “that pianist in every instrumental morning meeting and concert” has been playing the piano since he was 7 years old, and has continuously dazzled the school since he joined the Newark Academy instrumental program in middle school.

Although he is best known for his jazz solos in Chameleon, Nathaniel says, “I just love music and the piano allows such flexibility in creating it. I can delve into rap, pop, classic rock, jazz – any and every genre. Best of all, the piano provides such depth of sound while playing all of these genres. On the piano, you can forget everything and just create.” Nathaniel’s enthusiasm and love for music is clear as he describes how he was inspired at an early age, specifically by musicians like Billy Joel. However, at present, he is inspired by a multitude of different artists, from the Goo Goo Dolls to Neil Young to Led Zeppelin.

Nathaniel continues to be inspired by these artists as he looks ahead to the upcoming musical events at Newark Academy. While he is most definitely looking forward to the Winter Instrumental Concert, he states, “Much more exciting are the recording sessions for the national competitions that Chameleon tries out for each year. We record for the Charles Mingus High School Jazz Competition in November and for the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition and Festival in January.” Nathaniel is especially passionate about the jazz band, describing the special chemistry that he has with the band as a whole. He exclaims, “Without a doubt my favorite part about the Newark Academy music program is the jazz program headed by Mr. Tolentino. He has inspired an entire generation of students, transforming half a big band into a thriving community of jazz musicians who have achieved success on the national level in five short years. Most importantly, Mr. T has helped create a culture that will ensure that such camaraderie and success stand the test of time.”

Nathaniel Okun stands out for his individual talent within the instrumental program at Newark Academy. However, he is humble and complementary as he credits those who have influenced and inspired him to continue creating music. We look forward to hearing more of Nathaniel’s piano playing in upcoming instrumental events.