Overcoming Adversity Through Music
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
“Music is powerful. As people listen to it, they can be affected.
They respond.”- Ray Charles
There is something to be said about the healing powers of music. Music for many is like therapy. Elton John once said, “Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves even if it’s for a few minutes.” We all need an escape from the stressors of everyday life from time to time. Music is a great way to take your mind off things. For one local teen, music isn’t just an important part of his life…it is his life and his refuge. Devoyne Daron Montgomery, a senior at Paul G. Blazer High School, has been playing music since a very young age. Montgomery reminisced, “I think my love for music started when I was in the 4th grade, and my mother gave me an old keyboard. I started to teach myself how to play by watching videos on YouTube, and my love for music grew from there. The first instrument I ever played was the recorder in elementary school, but my first true instrument I started playing was the keyboard. Then, I started in orchestra with violin but eventually fell in love with the dark mellow sound of the cello.”
This young musical prodigy has the natural ability to play a total of 14 different instruments. Montgomery’s main instruments of choice are the cello, euphonium, base guitar, piano, and tenor saxophone. His favorite instrument to play is the cello with the piano coming in as a close runner up. Over the years, music has developed into something more than just a love of playing for Montgomery. Montgomery shared, “Playing music means everything to me. It’s my whole life! Music isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am. It has helped me in so many ways. Music makes me feel a lot of different things. I know music is always there for me when I am happy, enjoying life, and everything is going great. Both playing and listening to music also helps me through the tough times. Music is there for me when I’m having a rough day, I’m down and depressed, and just need to raise my spirits a little. It’s there when I just need to escape, and I can just close my eyes and get lost in my playing.”
For Montgomery, music has helped to shape him into the high achieving and well-rounded young man that he is today. Music has given Montgomery a purpose and has helped him to find his tribe. “It is through music that I found my people when I began playing music and joined the school band and school orchestra; I gained lifelong friends because of it.” Montgomery went on to add that had it not been for some amazing people in his life that he would not be who he is today or where his is in life. “Over the years, I have met some amazing musicians, teachers and mentors who have made me realize my passion for music and helped me realize just how much I want to pursue music for the rest of my life. I have had some amazing teachers and mentors who have believed in me along the way. From Molly Page, Chris Whelan, DeNiel Hartly, Solan Dikiner, Daniel Boyer, Braun Ream, Steven Shuman, Nick Joyce and many more who have inspired me so much since I found my love for music. For that, I am eternally grateful.”
Not only has this high school senior spent much of his life honing his musical talents, but he has done so while overcoming and learning to live with many adversities that affect his daily life. Montgomery’s mother, Casey Jermane Montgomery, commented about her son’s journey over the years: “Devoyne being involved in music has had a huge impact on his life. When he was younger, he didn’t really have close friends because people didn’t quite get him. He was very shy and quiet, and a lot of people weren’t aware of his Asperger’s (now known as Autism Level 1), so it wasn’t as easy for him to make friends who shared the same interests. He had a rough time throughout elementary school. I remember he would never smile in pictures and seemed very sad during his elementary school years. When he joined band and orchestra in middle school, it was like something awakened in him. He finally found “HIS people” who were just as passionate about music as he was. That’s when he realized how easy music came to him. From that moment on, music became his passion/obsession. It was something that we knew would be a major part of who he would be for the rest of his life. Some cool things about Devoyne are that he has absolute pitch (also known as perfect pitch), and something awesome called Synesthesia which allow him to see colors when he hears music.”
Montgomery’s mother described her son’s work ethic as “extremely dedicated and full of motivation.” Over the course of the last 18 years, Montgomery has overcome so much and has achieved so many things along the way. Montgomery has a long list of achievements to be proud of. Montgomery shared, “I just recently made it into the KMEA All-State Symphonic Orchestra for the second year in a row, All-District Orchestra 1st Chair for cello, and I also got a Distinguished rating six years in a row for solo and ensembles. I received District 8 Honors Orchestra in 7th and 8th grade and All District Band three years in a row. I attended three years of Concert Band clinics and two years for Jazz Band Clinics at Morehead State University. I was accepted into The GSA Program (Governors School of the Arts) during the summer of 2022 for piano. I am a member of the TRI M Music Society, member of the Marshall University Orchestra since my junior year of high school, and I am now one of their Principal Cellists. I will be traveling to Europe this summer as part of the Kentucky Musicians Abroad Band and will have the opportunity to play in several different countries including England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Luxemburg, and The Netherlands.”
Having Autism, mental health issues, or any other problem doesn’t mean you have to stop living and quit reaching for your dreams. We all have struggles. For some of us, those struggles of daily life may look different than most, but we can all achieve greatness. It just takes the right mindset and the willpower to overcome adversity. Montgomery hasn’t let his struggle with Autism stop him from doing what he loves, and he has big plans for the future. Upon graduation, Montgomery plans on pursuing a doctorate and becoming a professor of music. He hopes to study music performance and education while attending Marshall University. His dream is to one day attend Julliard and have the opportunity to play in Carnegie Hall. For anyone with any type of disability, perhaps it’s time we remove the “dis” part of the word and focus on the “ability” because we are not defined by our disabilities. Montgomery’s mother said, “We don’t need to look at Autism and mental health as a disability but rather a “Different” ability. Being different isn’t a bad thing… it’s what makes us special.”
