Following a tracheostomy 和 20 airway surgeries, Izzy Burns’ resiliency shines on the beach volleyball court 和 on the stage
pp电子极速糖果 student-athlete Izzy Burns released her latest song, 猜谜游戏, 这个月 Spotify 和 苹果的音乐. The singer/songwriter/guitarist is in her sophomore year of CMU’s 商业音乐 program 和 played a key role in CMU’s beach volleyball 全国冠军 去年的胜利.
“What drew me to CMU were the opportunities to play beach volleyball 和 to study contemporary music,伯恩斯说. “I wanted to move away from home, but not too far away 和 most music schools in the west are classical. Here I get to focus on my modern-folk-pop style 和 play sports. 这是两全其美的!”
Her “artsy 和 supportive” hometown of Moscow, 爱达荷州, was a great community to nurture her creative style 和 her natural energetic, can-do spirit is a perfect fit for the Maverick ethos.
“I have always had to work hard at things, 从呼吸开始,伯恩斯说。, who was born with airway abnormalities 和 has undergone more than 20 airway surgeries. “I think about how I used to not be able to play sports without turning blue, 和 how my mom says that I could not control the volume of my voice when my tracheostomy was removed. But now I am on a collegiate national champion team 和 singing 和 recording original music. It gave me a good work ethic 和 real appreciation for everything I have 和 everyone who has helped me get here.”
At age four, Burns received her first guitar as a gift from her mother, Dawn Burns. Dawn has always been Burns' biggest fan 和 supporter. 彭斯七岁时, she got more serious about learning the guitar 和 Dawn enrolled her in lessons. After a couple of years of playing guitar, Burns started writing songs 和 she was frustrated about not being able to get enough air to sing them. So Dawn found someone who could help — University of 爱达荷州 Voice Professor Claudia Krone.
“She didn’t think that I was going to be able to sing at first. She has a background in speech pathology 和 thought it was just going to be speech therapy 和 breathing techniques. But I wasn’t giving up on singing,伯恩斯说. “她现在就像家人一样. We keep in touch 和 talk about my music projects.”
在莫斯科长大, Burns reveled in eclectic inspiration, 参加音乐会, jam sessions 和 workshops at bluegrass 和 jazz festivals. She is also inspired by her favorite musicians: Norah Jones, Br和i Carlisle 和 The Lumineers.
伯恩斯见了她的制片人, another important music mentor, on a flight to a club volleyball tournament when she was a teenager.
“I was seated next to this guy with a guitar case on the plane. We started talking about music. 他给我上了一堂理论课. And that summer, we started recording,伯恩斯说, about Mellad Abeid, guitar professor at Gonzaga University. “I didn’t really have any technique for writing my songs then, it was just sort of like writing in my diary. He taught me how to arrange my songs 和 brought in Gonzaga grads to record with me in the studio at Amplified Wax.”
“I just couldn't imagine where I'd be if I didn't meet him that day. He sees my ideas 和 helps me bring them to life,伯恩斯说. Abeid 和 Burns meet over Zoom once a week for theory lessons 和 to work on songs. When she has new material ready, she’ll take a trip to Spokane, Washington, to record another album.
Burns says she loves being busy with music, school 和 sports.
“Sometimes I get caught up in it though 和 I have to slow down 和 remind myself just how far I’ve come 和 that I’m lucky to be here. I am grateful for everything I’ve been offered here at CMU 和 I want to continue to use this opportunity to get better.”
Burns wants to use her talents 和 education to help others break into the music world. Her goal after college is to start her own record label 和 continue to write, record 和 perform.
With her Commercial Ensemble classmates, Burns will play at Warehouse 2565, 10月5日7:30-9:30.