{"id":53947,"date":"2025-10-14T11:45:43","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T16:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meritmusic.org\/?p=53947"},"modified":"2025-10-17T16:19:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T21:19:21","slug":"alum-will-miller-plays-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meritmusic.org\/zh\/alum-will-miller-plays-on\/","title":{"rendered":"\u6821\u53cb\u5a01\u723e\u7c73\u52d2\u7e7c\u7e8c\u8868\u6f14\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"will\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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As we eagerly await Play On<\/a><\/span>,<\/a><\/strong> our 7th annual benefit concert hosted by Merit\u2019s Associate Board, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Will Miller, trumpeter, producer, and the creative force behind our headlining act, Resavoir<\/a><\/strong>.<\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A proud Merit alum, Will\u2019s journey from Merit\u2019s Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory<\/em><\/a><\/strong> to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music<\/a><\/strong> and into the heart of Chicago\u2019s music scene has established Will as an innovative force in our city\u2019s musical landscape<\/p>

In this interview, Will reflects on his musical beginnings at Merit, the importance of mentorship, and what success means to him today. He also gives a preview of his upcoming album Themes for Dreams<\/em> and shares what he\u2019s most looking forward to about returning to his Merit roots for Play On.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Tell me about your relationship with Merit. How did you get started, and what kind of impact did your time studying here have? <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I started with the Conservatory my freshman year. When I first started, we were back at the old building on Polk Street [Dearborn Station] in the basement. That was a special time. I was 14, going down there every Saturday. It was really fun.<\/p>

And I was lucky to have some seniors that I really looked up to, like Marquis Hill<\/strong><\/a> and Ryan Nyther, some really amazing trumpet players who were just above me. I was like, wow, the bar is set extremely high! Coming from my grade school, I was the hot shot, you know, so it humbled me real quick.<\/p>

When Marquis and Ryan graduated, it opened up the trumpet chair in the Honors Jazz Combo my sophomore year, so I was able to get in right away and really hit the ground running.<\/p>

It was really cool to be around all these other trumpet players at Merit, the best of the best in the city; it was inspiring to hear everyone play and strive to be better every week. That was really a game changer for me.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Do you have a favorite Merit memory that sticks with you? <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I remember the Honors Jazz Combo went to the Savannah Jazz Festival<\/a><\/strong> to do a performance. I think this must have been my sophomore year of high school, so I was 15 or 16. We drove down to Savannah in a 15-passenger van, and it was my first taste of the road in that way, so that made a big impression.<\/p>

I also remember when Bud Herseth [former principal trumpet at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>] came in to give a master class; that was really memorable for me. And of course, just the fun community at Merit\u2014grabbing a hot dog upstairs at Dearborn Station with the other kids, hanging out in the community room once we moved into the new building\u2014it was just a special place to be every Saturday.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\u201cThe definition of success certainly evolves over time, but I try and remain grateful for where I am in my career right now and the privilege of getting to make the music that I want to make.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWill Miller<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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How do you define success for yourself as a musician today? Has that changed over time? <\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I think it’s always changing. When I graduated high school, success meant being able to make a living playing music, period. It didn’t matter what type of gigs I was doing, whether it was background cocktail hours or wedding gigs or salsa gigs, whatever it might be to pay the bills.<\/p>

After I graduated from Oberlin, I did the gig scene for a little bit, but I got burnt out. I decided that I wanted to focus on doing music that I really wanted to play and take the artistic side of things more seriously. And sacrifices have to be made \u2013 if I’m not going to do wedding gigs, I’m going to have to get a job at a pizza place or work construction for my dad to pay bills.<\/p>

At that point, success was being able to make a living as a musician, doing exactly what I loved, making the type of music that I wanted to make. I still feel like that’s the dream, and I’m able to do that right now, so I feel like I’m living the dream.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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