Today we’d like to introduce you to Justice Carter.
Justice, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my music career in 2009 during my 9th-grade year of high school. It started out rough because I wasn’t the best music reader or horn player. Every class I would have to go and sit in the practice room to learn my part because I wasn’t as proficient as my peers. I HATED this, but it gave me the practice I needed to be great. I joined concert band in 8th grade. Usually you join in 6th so I had a late start.
After getting better at reading music and playing I was allowed to join the rest of the class. Band became my favorite class and I knew I wanted to be able to have band be a part of my life for the rest of my life. Music was something that made me happy and I knew it had to be my career choice.
I started off arranging music for parades and later football game halftimes and stand tunes. It was extremely difficult for me to arrange because I was not proficient in music theory.
I was not the type of student to ask for help. As I was going through the trial and error of learning to arrange music the process inspired me to become an even better musician and learn all I needed to know about arranging.
This was the changing point in my music career.
Near the end of my 10th grade year my first band director, who helped me become a stronger musician and started me off arranging moved and a new director came in. I showed her some of my music and she told me it was good and gave me tips on different things. It was her motivation that made me want to write more. She allowed me to write every song we wanted to play and I was responsible for teaching the music I wrote to the band. Her allowing me to write and teach was not only fun for me but gave me the motivation to be the best at what I was doing. It was not until then that I truly fell in love with arranging, teaching and making music.
After I graduated high school I had my mind set to become a band director and I set goals to be in a college marching band and choir. I attended Miles College in Fairfield, AL, where I received a scholarship for both band and choir. Attending Miles College gave me the opportunity to be trained by some of the best music educators I’d ever met – seeing the level of education and passion my directors had made me want to be even more like them. Throughout my freshman and sophomore year, I continued to write music for other bands and my choir director saw me arranging. He asked me to transcribe a version of Lift Every Voice for one of our school programs. At the moment it seemed like extra work but it was a test the entire time.
During my sophomore year the band directors gave all music majors an opportunity to arrange a song in order to become the student director and I decided to submit one.
My junior year I was picked to be the student director for both the Band and Choir. This was an overwhelming accomplishment and I knew it would be very had, but I was excited. This opportunity gave me a chance to teach my music at a higher level. It enhanced my knowledge of teaching in general. During my tenure as student director of the band I received the John Phillip Sousa award, which is the highest award the band program offered, two years in a row. Having those positions gave me the opportunity most music majors don’t get. I had the best of both worlds. I will forever be grateful to Miles College and the band and choir directors for the opportunity and knowledge I received.
After graduating Miles, I moved back to Georgia, where I am currently the Choral Director at Price Middle School as well as a Music director for my home church, West Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.
Being a teacher has shown me that more children and adults need and want the opportunity of music and it is my goal to reach everyone I can. Music is something everyone loves. It’s in all we do.
Vicimusiq Productions is the product of this.
Has it been a smooth road?
No. The road has not always been smooth. There have been times where I didn’t have confidence in my work, which created a block in the arranging/composing process, did not receive credit for work I’ve done and at times not compensated for music I’ve written but, in each of these situations was a lesson and I’m thankful because it allowed me to grow.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Vicimusiq Productions specializes in Music Lessons (Vocal/Instrumental), Music Theory Lessons, Band Clinics (Concert/Marching), Choir Workshops (Choral/Gospel), Band Arrangements (Concert/Marching) Choir Arrangements (Choral/Gospel), Specialized Compositions and so much more! As a company, we are proud to offer music services for EVERY genre of music. We don’t cater to one specific need, we embrace all. Every age group is welcomed!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
The culture and the beauty of the city. Traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: vicimusiq@icloud.com
- Phone: 4049103162
- Email: vicimusiq@icloud.com
- Instagram: vicimusiq
- Facebook: vicimusiq
- Twitter: vicimusiq
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