artist Roan Shankaruk

My name is Roan Shankaruk, I am thirteen years old, and I am in the Flex-Humanities program at Van Tech.

I have always loved making music and have been fortunate to have been exposed to almost every kind of music there is through piano, guitar, choir, band and theatre and of course listening to new music on the radio or through friends. I love classical music as well as opera, but I listen to a lot of indie/alternative/rock music too.  I have composed lots of songs before on piano, but The Compromise is the first time I’ve officially put words to music. My love of anime and manga has probably been an influence in the sort of music I really like too, I love great stories!

In our school band (Yay Mr. Reid!), one of my favourite new pieces is “Dante’s Inferno”. Along with playing our instruments, we have to do things like stomp our feet, scream, (it does take place in Hell after all) and drop a giant metal chain. I think it’s exciting to use whatever sounds work, even if they’re not made by the usual instruments – in my song I’ve used the piano pedals to sound like battle drums and played some notes to sound like bagpipes because the story takes place in Scotland.

I’ve learned a lot from composing my song, know what I’d do better next time, the possibilities are endless! I really hope you enjoy listening to it and wonder “what happens next?”