Teens of Bay Area

For Los Altos High School senior Tom Freda Eskenazi, music is a special activity that provides community, a creative outlet and a core part of his high school experience. As Los Altos’ drum major, Tom conducted the marching band’s performances and rehearsals from the podium.

That said, Tom’s music journey started years ago in his childhood. 

“My dad really likes music, and since I was really young, he’s taken me and my siblings to a lot of concerts,” he said. 

That made him want to  pursue multiple instruments and performance opportunities. He currently plays saxophone in the school’s jazz band, guitar in an indie rock band called Kalico, and has played trumpet with a drum corps, the latter providing him with some professional-level experience.

Playing in a professional-level marching ensemble was dramatically different from a typical high school season. 

“If you take a marching band, you’ll turn the dial on for everything: it’s more practice time, higher expectations, and you’re practicing twelve hours a day.” 

During the season, he performed over 20 times in 19 different states, traveling across the country to do so. Even though the schedule has been demanding, Tom says that the community is what keeps him motivated.

 “You meet a lot of cool people through it,” he said. “There’s definitely a sense of community that motivates a lot of it.”

As drum major, Tom has taken on the leadership role that comes with guiding  the band. 

“It’s a lot of responsibility, but it feels good to have the successes we’re having and feel like I’m helping make that happen,” Tom said. 

After competitions, he urges members to focus not on the judges’ scores but on personal growth. 

“Don’t really listen to the judges’ score,” Tom said. “Think about how you felt about how you did. It’s completely within your power to change it. If you feel like you could have done better, you can put in more effort next time.”

Outside of school ensembles, Tom is also a founding member of Kalico, an indie rock band that started from a friend’s idea to start making music together. The group has performed at local spaces such as school rallies and open mics.

Besides music, Tom enjoys playing basketball and volunteering regularly at a local church food drive, where he has helped distribute food for the past five years. 

“It’s easier to take risks when your friends are doing it with you,” Tom said. “That camaraderie makes it feel more like fun than work.”

With graduation just a few months away, Tom plans to continue music in college as a hobby. 

“If you are passionate about something, if you care about something, go do it,” Tom said. “Don’t be afraid of being embarrassed. Don’t think that you can’t do something, because you probably can.”