By Regina Stracqualursi
Aaron Lockwood ’24 was in just fourth grade when he was formally introduced to the world of music — something that would change him forever. After a brief stint playing the trumpet, he soon went to middle school where he pursued his passion for singing. Now a dual major in computer science and music at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Lockwood is one step closer to his dream of being a performer.
While Lockwood was a quiet child, his passion for singing was clear from the get-go. As he grew up, he was always singing — in the car, in the shower, and around the house. Deep down, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. He spent his time in middle school and high school participating in a variety of honors choir groups, and even became part of an All-Eastern Honors Ensemble run by the National Association for Music Education.
After high school, Lockwood followed in his older sister’s footsteps, enrolling at Rensselaer. Her participation in the Rensselaer Orchestra ultimately inspired him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music. After attending one of her performances at Carnegie Hall, he knew Rensselaer was the place to help him achieve his dreams. “The speech that President Shirley Ann Jackson gave really hit home for me as she introduced the opening of a music major here at Rensselaer that was oriented to be taken in tandem with other sciences,” said Lockwood. “I thought this was a phenomenal way to enjoy both worlds of computer science and music.”
A member of the Chamber Music Ensemble and the Concert Choir since his first semester at Rensselaer, Lockwood will perform in the annual President’s Holiday Concert at Rensselaer on Dec. 12, 2021. The concert is a culmination of all the hard work Lockwood and his peers put in throughout the fall semester. This year’s concert, “Dreaming on a Star,” represents much of what he embodies as a singer who is constantly striving for his dreams and being open to all the opportunities his future might hold.
The concert will take place in the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, one of the reasons Lockwood enjoys being part of the music community at Rensselaer. “The facility is just outstanding and being able to get up on the main stage at this time is truly a privilege that not a lot of people get to experience,” he said.
In the future, Lockwood hopes to apply his dual degree in music and computer science to a career that combines music and technology to produce and perform music in innovative ways. The analytical skills he has developed as a musician will certainly help him for years to come. “Music has impacted my life in the best ways and it’s connected me with some of the most talented people I’ve ever met,” Lockwood said.
