First Posted: 2/4/2014
According to “20-years-young” musician and West Chester University sophomore communications major Tyler Asay, “the thrill of playing on stage is about keeping your cool and pretending you know what you’re doing.”
“You just have to believe in what you are doing and hope that people are going to enjoy it,” he said. “And if they do, that’s great! It gives you some reassurance. …There’s always a practical side to it. You have to take it seriously, but you can’t take yourself too seriously. You’ve got to have fun with it.”
The former Clarks Summit resident and 2012 Abington Heights graduate said he remembers the first concert he saw, and while watching rock and roll legend, Bruce Springsteen perform on stage, he thought, “Wow, he’s the man. I want to do that. I realize that is a pretty high standard to set.”
Music is more than just a hobby for Asay, who said, “If I could make a living doing something I love that would be great. It’s all about trying your best.”
In high school he was in the high school marching and concert bands playing saxophone, choir, and jazz band playing piano, and also played at non-school related venues.
Asay is grateful to his parents, Patty and Scott, who convinced him to take piano lessons when he was eight-years-old. By the time his middle school years came to an end, Asay said he had gained an interest in guitar.
“Since my dad plays it, I decided to pick that up as well,” he explained. In addition to guitar and piano, Asay is also a vocalist, plays the saxophone and writes some of his own music and lyrics.
What led him to become a musician?
Back in the days of his piano lessons, Asay said he was strictly playing classical music, although he did not care much for the genre. But he added, “As I was getting older and listening to different things, and by the time I started playing guitar as well, it all started making sense to me that they were all connected. It’s a language and there’s a lot more to it than you think.”
“Music is also like a science to me and I love analyzing it,” Asay said.
Locally, Asay has performed at Duffy’s Coffee House many times and is part of the lineup of musical entertainers planned for the Clarks Green Centennial celebration Memorial Day weekend.
“I plan on assembling a full band for the Clarks Green performance,” he said.
In West Chester, he played a Winter Showcase of acoustic performers at a small venue in December, and will be playing more in West Chester in the upcoming months. Asay is also a DJ at the West Chester University Radio Station.
“I tend to play by myself, but a lot of my friends play music as well, so we always have a good time doing that together.”
While being a musician is his dream job, he noted, “Being a Communications major, another dream job of mine would to be a writer for Rolling Stone magazine.”
To listen to Asay’s music visit soundcloud.com/tsasay.