Gliding his hands over the strings, his fingers hit each musical note effortlessly. He finds himself lost in the song, mesmerized by the world of sound that surrounds him. As the chorus rises to its climax, he boldly strikes a power chord on the guitar while the pianist’s hands seamlessly dance across the delicate keyboard. A melody of electric bass is sprinkled into the concoction as the stage lights sway to the beat of the music.
Not only is Nicholas Koslan a physics teacher at Bowie, but he also plays guitar for a jazz band. When given the opportunity to play in a band, Koslan was excited to use his talent to work with a team and create music for the community to enjoy. Dreaming of the opportunity to pursue his passions of both music and teaching, he has found a way to transition between life as a high school physics teacher, a parent, and a musician.
“It’s kind of tough, especially because I have little kids too,” Koslan said. “I spend the day teaching, then go home with the little kids, and then go out and gig. They’re long days, but they’re pretty satisfying.”
In the beginning of the school year, Koslan met orchestra director David Jarrott at a faculty meeting. Jarrott happened to be trying to assemble a jazz band with his friend Ken Elliott, and they were looking for a guitar player. When Koslan introduced himself and mentioned he played the guitar, Jarrott instantly knew he was the musician they had been searching for. Amazed that he had found a talented guitarist by chance, he invited Koslan to play for the newly-formed jazz band.
“I’d say we work very well together,” Jarrott said. “He’s super nice and easy going, as is everybody in the band. We are literally just getting to know each other through the music, but having fun doing it.”
Koslan has enjoyed getting to know the band members and collaborating with them creatively. Jarrott plays the electric bass, Elliott plays the saxophone, and Akins orchestra director Thomas Mann plays the piano. Their band aims to practice every week, alternating between Bowie and Akins to rehearse their instruments and prepare for gigs. Koslan and the other band members have been practicing sight reading, the ability to play any song by reading chord charts and sheet music with the goal of taking song requests from audiences.
“I like the teamwork and the final product of that teamwork; the way that it sounds,” Koslan said. “It’s much bigger than anything I could produce on my own. It’s really amazing when it all comes together.”
Once the members decide on a name for the band and practice a little more, the band plans to start gigging in bars and restaurants in the community. The band hopes to gig at places like Waterloo, where Koslan used to play guitar for a jazz band he was previously a part of. Koslan’s old jazz band gave him the opportunity to explore the jazz genre, which was a new element for him at the time. The old crew recently disbanded when the trumpet player moved out of state for a job as a mechanical engineer. Koslan is grateful that being part of both bands has given him the chance to pursue his passion for music and teach physics at the same time.
“It’s great exercise, and it’s great teamwork,” Koslan said. “I think it’s super important to keep your mind active, and music, math and physics all do that. I feel like music rounds me out.”
Koslan plans to continue to pursue guitar throughout his life, and shares his love of music with his physics students. He keeps a guitar in his classroom and allows kids interested in music to play after they’ve finished their assignments. Senior Preston Solis, a physics student and guitar enthusiast, is grateful for the opportunity to play the instrument in a unique environment.
“He really loves what he does, and that kind of approach to teaching in general is something everybody needs in their lives, at least once with a teacher,” Solis said. “The guitar was kind of my escape at the end of the day, after the stress of all the work. It also creates a good bond between me and Mr. Koslan, because we have something to relate to.”
Solis views Koslan as an inspirational teacher, and is excited to watch him perform in the community. Seeing his teacher’s ability to balance his love for physics with his passion for music has taught him that it is possible to have a meaningful career without sacrificing other hobbies that bring him joy.
“I can be a teacher, I can be somebody who works with carpentry, I could be in construction, or I can go into literally any field and still do what I love,” Solis said. “So it’s a big inspiration seeing that.”
