   For most people, music is an afterthought — a background track while completing chores, finishing up an assignment, or working out. However, for Max Dunlap ’24, music is a central focus in life and a passion he has cultivated all on his own. Whether it be playing his signature instrument, the guitar, in Studio Band or composing music in his own free time, Dunlap is always surrounded by music.

What made you want to play the guitar?

   I was really into rock and roll early on when I was a kid, and I listened to Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones, so I got really into rock-style playing. That’s what introduced me to the world of guitar, and I kind of just picked it up after that.

What do you like about the guitar as opposed to other instruments?

   I feel like the guitar offers a lot of tones that not a lot of other instruments have. For example, if I’m playing the guitar, I can play anything from metal to punk rock to jazz to blues, whereas other instruments are very tied to just one genre or just one style.

How has playing the guitar influenced your music composition?

   For the majority of the songs I write, I originally write the central theme on guitar and map out everything else around that riff, or melody, or chord progression. So, a lot of my ideas in terms of music composition come from a riff or a chord progression or something that I originally play on guitar.

What got you interested in music composition?

   It was a more interesting way to express music. I felt that when I would play other people’s music that I wasn’t playing my own style. I got really into writing music when I realized I could create things in regards to music and when I started to learn more instruments — learn how to express music through all these instruments — it became easier to write music.

What style of music do you most enjoy composing and why?

   I most enjoy composing orchestral music because you can build up the sound so much easier and you can dynamically create really large, intense moments and really small, quiet moments. You can more freely put a song together by doing that. I’m recording something right now that’s more orchestral — it’ll be out in the next month or two — but producing and composing orchestral pieces is really fun because you can build it up to a larger degree.

How do you express emotions when composing music?

   It’s very similar to performing music, except you have control of exactly the emotions you want to convey. When you’re writing music, when you want to write something happy or sad, anything, you can do so very easily.

Are your composition skills self-taught or did you take lessons? How has this influenced your compositions?

   It is completely self-taught. I have a very small grasp on reading music and I know some music theory, but most of it is just completely self taught — looking up stuff on the internet, learning through YouTube, or other things. But it is primarily noodling around and writing stuff that comes to mind and building off of those things.

Can you describe your music composition process?

   I usually start out with a melody or chord progression that I write out or initially play on guitar or piano, or sometimes bass. Then, I write stuff around that and create new parts and add them, and I add new instruments to build up this larger thing based on this smaller initial riff or melody that I write.

How do you know when a composition is complete and does not need to be revised?

   It’s very difficult to know when something is complete because you always want to add more to it. In my opinion, there isn’t really a composition that can be completely perfect — you’re always going to want to change something or do something with it. So, in my opinion, that point is just when you can sit back, listen to it, and have that  composition stuck in your head for the rest of your day, that’s when you know that was a pretty impactful song or piece.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the music industry and what’s one challenge and one exciting prospect you anticipate?

   I am interested in pursuing a career in the music industry; however, there’s a smaller chance I’ll be going into something like that, just because it doesn’t bring in the big bucks. But, if I did, an exciting prospect would be the ability to create something as a daily occupation and one challenge would be having to learn more about music theory.

Max Dunlap ’24 explores the freedom of creation through music composition

Dia Beri ‘25
“My fave thriller/mystery show is ‘Pretty Little Liars’ because it has the most beautiful 2000s aesthetic and always keeps me on my feet because it’s so interesting.”

Siyona Lathar ‘25
“My favorite thriller is ‘Searching,’ because I found it interesting that the entire film takes place on a computer screen while the main character searches for his missing daughter. It had a gripping storyline with twists that kept you from predicting who the kidnapper was. I also enjoy the other films this director has written and directed.”

Reya Nair ‘26
“My favorite thriller would be Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation of ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier. It’s a gothic psychological thriller and noir film. I love Hitchock’s sets and overall aesthetic for the movie. The book is one of my favorite novels and has an amazing plot with the best twist I’ve ever read.”

Blythe Valvanis ‘27
“I enjoyed ‘The Afterparty.’ I appreciated its lighthearted nature and how every episode is a different genre while still having an underlying murder mystery background.”

Student interviews: What is your favorite mystery/thriller tv show or movie and why?

With the beginning of spring comes the celebration of another underrepresented minority in America. Only made official by President Biden two years ago in 2021, National Arab-American Heritage Month recognizes and appreciates the contributions Arab-Americans have made to American culture. Syrian-American advocate Pierre Subeh’s campaign arduously for the acknowledgement of the struggles of Arab-Americans, especially following the anti-Arab sentiments that resulted from the 9/11 attacks. In honor of Subeh’s goal of recognizing Arabic culture and heritage, the theme of this month’s playlist (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6RwW3DSBFNfRFbFyMR0vcd) is Arabic music and artists.

   To present the variety of Arabic music, we organized songs into different categories: religious (Islamic) songs, Arabic pop songs, and, to celebrate those of Arab descent, American pop songs created by Arab-American artists.

   The most prevalent religion in Arab countries is Islam, so two types of Arabic Islamic songs, nasheeds and maqams, represent the religious contributions Arabs brought to the diversification of U.S. culture. Nasheeds and maqams bring to mind the diversity of faith and religion Arabs have contributed to America through their devotion to religion, predominantly Islam. Nasheeds are a type of Islamic music consisting of hymns that praise Allah, or God, and are generally very simple melodies. “Burdah Maula ya Salli” by Mesut Kurtis, “Ya Adheeman” by Ahmed Bukhatir, and “Who is the Loved One” by Alhaj Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Qadri all follow the theme of nasheeds of praising or thanking Allah and asking for His blessings. While nasheeds are typically geared towards followers of Islam, the singing can be very calming and provides a diversified listening experience for everyone. Maqams, on the other hand, focus more on music than singing and are a type of melody unique to Arabic music. “Maqam Nawa” by Safaafir and “Layali (Mawwal)” by Sabah Fakhri follow typical maqams in their instruments and melodies, but “Persepolis’s Mirage” by Anouar Brahem uses a variety of instruments (including oud, piano, drums, and double bass) to create a more surreal sound while still staying true to the idea of maqams.

   Another well-known genre is Arabic pop music, which deviates from religious songs in its inclusion of female singers. Because it is haram, or forbidden according to the rules of Islam, to hear women sing, there are very few, if any, female singers in Islamic songs; however, there are many in non-religious music, like Arabic pop. “Ser Alyhayah” by Aseel Hameem is a love song, a topic similar to many American pop songs, and “Hatramdan Ramadan” is a song about Ramadan by Donia Samir Ghanem, both of which are very well-known songs by popular female Arab artists. One of the most popular artists in Arabic pop is Mohamed Ramadan; his and Super Sako’s song, “Tik Tok,” an extremely catchy tune named after the app, has become popular in America. 

   American hip-hop, in particular, has been greatly influenced by Arabic music. To highlight Arab artists in mainstream music, there are a myriad of American-pop songs created by Arab-American musicians. Faouzia is an up-and-coming Arab-American artist who has had many viral songs, including “RIP, Love,” which won public acclaim for its combination of Arab influence and music with American pop. In her singing, she employs Arabic trills and tonalities, which she grew up listening to. DJ Khaled, or Khaled Mohamed Khaled, is another Arab-American artist who has released numerous famous songs, one of which is “All I Do Is Win.” Formerly performing under the moniker Arab Attack, DJ Khaled credits his initial interest in music to Arabic music, which he listened to growing up.  Throughout his career, he has additionally attributed his success to his faith in Islam. When asked about his Palestinian roots, he said, “I mean just to be able to say that I’m American Palestinian, that’s so beautiful.” Another especially popular Arab-American artist is Shakira, who has been prevalent in American pop music, namely due to her song, “Wherever, Whenever,” which contributed to her rise in popularity. Despite  people best knowing Shakira as a Colombian artist, she emphasizes her Lebanese heritage in her songs through the instruments and by belly dancing in the choreography. For example, in “Ojos Así,” which includes Arabic lyrics, Shakira included the woodwind mijwiz and the doumbek drum, both of which are Arab instruments.

   While all these Arab artists have undoubtedly contributed to American pop culture, Arabic influence on American culture is often overlooked or ignored entirely. It is important to pay respects to everything that has influenced our culture, and that is why April, as Arab-American Heritage Month, is such an important month. 

The 30 Arabian nights: honoring Arabic culture through music

   When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


Behind the screen: the problem with idolization in K-pop

When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


Meghna Myneni's Work