Finding The Music

Above: SWEET’S SYMPHONY: Clarke Central High School senior Nik Sweet, a musician, poses outside the CCHS band room on Jan. 13. Sweet was notified on Jan. 9 that he was named to the Georgia Music Educators Association’s All-State Band, a group of dedicated student high school musicians from across the state who are selected through a rigorous process to perform at the Classic Center from March 2-4; Sweet is the first CCHS student since, then-junior Melody Morgan, a bassoon player, made it in 2019. “Last year, I didn’t even get into the district band, so when I got into (All-State) and got a callback, I was pretty surprised, but also very happy because that means I’m making progress,” Sweet said. “It’s always really nice to have people who are working on the same thing as you are. All of my friends in band helped me and supported me through (this process).” Photos and caption by Lucas Donnelly

Finding the Music // A 300-Word Story // The iliad Literary-Art Magazine will provide readers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.

Clarke Central High School senior Nikolas Sweet’s love for music is magic and it’s how he sees the world.

Music is energy. It has a voice and it gives life to its listeners. Music lives and leaves a legacy to all those who’ve enjoyed its sound, even when it ends. 

In music, Nikolas “Nik” Sweet has found his other half, a soul that makes him feel complete. He loves to compose, perform and learn about music. While he may come across as laid-back, beneath the surface is a love of music that comes through in each note he plays. 

Finding a self-directed focus can be hard for Nik because of his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but composing and playing music has become an engrossing desire that he can focus closely on. Music is Nik’s eyes and ears and gives him a lens through which to see the world. 

“I hyper-fixate a lot, and whenever I hyper-fixate (on) something, it’s because I found the music in what I’m doing,” Nik said. 

Above: WHAT MUSIC IS TO ME: Senior Nikolas “Nik” Sweet plays the trumpet with his band, Panic Wave, during a driveway show at his band member’s house. Nik has started writing new songs for the band and hopes to perform them at later shows. “It would be great if people connected to (my music) because then there’d be some purpose to writing it besides it being a fun hobby,” Nik said. Photo by Salai Diekumpuna

Nik has an invigorating passion for music that runs through his mind, and he seeks the spark that he finds in music in everything he does. But, despite his fear of losing his passion for music in the labyrinth of life, he takes the risk to find the music in all aspects of his life.

“(Playing music) is getting into that zone, it’s very important to know how to find the music in anything you do, because if you can’t get to that zone, then there’s no point in doing it,” Nik said. 

When playing and composing music, Nik is able to express himself and let his music speak for him. Nik’s love of music is not something he can explain, it’s a part of him. It’s the divine energy that gives his life purpose. 

“Music makes me believe in magic,” Nik said. 

Story by Salai Diekumpuna