Courtesy of Sean Elliot
Junior Elijah Edmonds has spent his scholastic career fostering his skills in music creation, and harnessing the power to connect people through it. Like a “universal language,” he says, he sees and hopes to use music as a unifying force he practices at his college campus of Connecticut College and beyond.
Originally from New York, he learned the drums in elementary school and the trumpet later on. He gravitated most toward the brass instrument due to its uniquely loud sound and performance quality. At Conn, he majors in Music, Sound and Technology and Computer Science. Today, he is perhaps best known for his trumpet playing during Conn shows through MOBROC, the campus’ organization for student musicians and music enthusiasts.
He also serves as MOBROC’s Musicians Representative. Edmonds explained, “MOBROC’s whole purpose is to support musicians on campus, and to give them all the resources they need to be able to create, share and promote their music. A big part of what we’re trying to do this year is just to get bands back up on campus.”
He spoke further to his initiatives in his role, centering representation and accessibility for creatives to express themselves through music. “There’s so many people here that love to listen to live music and love to express themselves with live music. When that is not available to people, I feel like that’s really a disservice.” he began. He recalls a wavering music scene on campus, with more traction for shows and bands some years, and less during others.
“There’s already a big sense of community here, but having those events that everybody can come to and come together and just have fun at, listen to good music; I feel like that’s really important.”
Edmonds doesn’t want the spreading of music and connection to stop at the campus — following his summer internship through Conn SHAARP, working with students in New London, he gained a wider sense of belonging and community extending out into the local scene.
He presents this best through his notorious participation in Brisa Azul, a longstanding Connecticut College band made up of Edmonds and his other fellow student musicians. Their band has performed at Conn, as well as around New London and even into other surrounding states. Some of their shows have taken place at the Hygienic Art Gallery, Harbor Cantina Restaurant and Bar, Sunrise Cafe and at a number of locations on Conn’s campus, from the MOBROC barn to Larrabee Green to taking to the stage at the campus’ annual concert festival, Floralia.
“It really gave me a new sense of like the people here and the community here and also what they used to have surrounding like live music. Like they used to have a bunch of spaces for teens to perform and put on shows that used to go to like New London High and it would be a great way for the community to come together. I want to start something like that back up again.” he said.
“If we’re able to integrate and connect communities through music, it’s a win for everybody.”
