Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.
For many, picking up a new instrument, starting to learn a new language, or perfecting a restaurant-quality dish might fall on their aspirational bucket list, but Wellesley High School senior Andrew Song has achieved these goals, all while juggling the academic and social expectations of high school.
Song’s first substantial foray into music began in seventh grade with the alto saxophone.
“Initially, I hated it, because I always sounded terrible and was discouraged by my awful sound and lack of musicianship,” said Song.
Despite this initial challenge, Song’s band instructor, Dave Adams, encouraged him to switch to the tenor saxophone, a slightly larger instrument. The tenor saxophone catalyzed Song’s interest in jazz, and in eighth grade, he joined the Monday Jazz Band at the middle school. There, he was introduced to the baritone saxophone, an even larger instrument. Song loved the sound of the baritone sax, but he chose to stick with the tenor until he branched out even further in high school.
Song plays in the high school Wind Ensemble and the 2:00 Jazz Band as an intensive student. Outside of school, he plays the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone along with the clarinet for the Beantown Swing Orchestra.
“There, we highlight the good old classic songs from the 1940s and play vintage horns in live gigs around Boston, which has been a ton of fun. In some songs, we literally whistle while we work,” Song said.
For someone who had focused solely on the saxophone for so long, the addition of the jazz clarinet was both an adjustment and an expectation for his position in the Beantown Swing Orchestra.
“All the saxophones play clarinet, which is typical of traditional swing jazz music,” Song said.
Swing jazz is a genre that came from Black American roots and roared to popularity in the United States during the late 1920s. Swing jazz features a larger band and more dance-friendly rhythms, which Song’s various instruments contribute to.
Song’s decision to add the clarinet to his repertoire required persistence and a lot of patience. Kenneth Reid, Song’s private teacher and mentor, now instructs Song in both the saxophone and the clarinet.
“[My teacher] was a little bit skeptical at first, but at the same time, he said we could give it a go. He calls the clarinet the ‘agony stick,’” said Song.
For many saxophone players and clarinetists, playing the other instrument is not an extreme adjustment. Both the clarinet and the saxophone have a single reed and a similar fingering system, but the method of breath support and mouth position is different.
“The notes aren’t exactly the same, but there are a lot of similarities,” Song said.
Song’s ability to learn new disciplines by drawing on their similarities extends beyond music. While learning Mandarin Chinese in school, Song is learning Arabic, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish in the free time he finds between his many obligations.
“For learning languages, just like learning new instruments, you just have to listen to a lot of it,” said Song.
Some of Song’s language learning occurs at the fine-dining restaurant Mistral, where he works as a professional chef.
“[Song] has the skills. His page on Instagram is filled with his delicious creations. I can’t wait to try one of them,” said Ben Harris ’25, a friend of Song’s and fellow musician.
While Song spends his time in a multitude of ways, music consumes most of his waking hours.
“Whenever I’m not hitting the books, swimming, eating, or sleeping, I’m almost always doing something music-related, whether it’s finding new songs to solo over or scrolling through YouTube to look for transcriptions of jazz standards,” said Song.
Teachers like Steve Scott, the conductor of the high school’s band ensembles, have noticed this passion. “[His] genuine inquisitiveness about jazz improvisation and jazz style has helped him grow as a player throughout his time in the WHS Band Program. [He] is always willing to dive in and take a solo in our rehearsals and performances,” Scott said.
While Song’s solos occur onstage with the spotlight on him, the environment offstage supports Song in his endeavors.
“My fellow players in the jazz band have always inspired me in terms of soloing, tone, and musicianship, and have always helped me out whenever I feel like I’m falling behind,” said Song.
Song started his music career later than many of his peers did, but through practice and finding motivation in his teachers, Song has been able to reach a high level. He was selected for the Eastern Senior Districts and played in the accompanying festival.
“The challenges I went through starting really late as a player have all paid off with the fun I’ve had playing in the jam sessions at Eastern Senior Districts,” Song said.
As for Song’s plans for after high school, he is committed to swim at Vassar College, and is planning to keep music as a major component of his life.
“Lots of my friends are very music-oriented, so when we all meet up after graduating for reunions, Friendsgivings, and whatnot, it would be great if we could all grab our horns and just relive the fun times,” said Song.
Article written by WHS Bradford News Editor Elizabeth Hoerter ’25 & Staff Writer Ayesha Kapoor ’26
