From a young age, senior Libardo Coronado has always expressed his emotions through music. Whether it’s rapping with his friends after school or playing his saxophone in the Niles West Jazz Ensemble or Symphonic Winds Ensemble, he is always making music.

“When I was young, I liked to listen to music on the radio and back then there was more to listen for,” said Coronado, who first started playing the saxophone in fourth grade.

He has a passion for music, but jazz specifically.

“It’s taught me how to find beauty within the smallest parts of life. It has taught me how to express feeling to a next degree with my words. I can say whatever I want and people understand what I mean,” he said.

Even when others question him as to why he likes the older genre he replies,”It’s about the music rather than the people playing it. I would prefer to be criticized all my life than fall into a norm. It’s just not my style.”

Coronado believes that kids in high school should really search for music with deep resonating beauty.

“I’m not saying that rap and hip hop aren’t about it,” he said. “I love to rap and hip hop is my style, it’s just that sometimes I need something deeper to make me see the reality of life. There is nothing more beautiful than a John Coltrane 16th note leap. Or when Lester Young would play a beautiful melodic phrase. Or when Illinois Jacquet would honk into his sax producing a sound similar to a fog horn.”

A citizen of both the city and the suburbs, Libardo finds inspiration throughout every inch of his playground.

“When I’m driving in the city, I’m always looking out for happening clubs and halls for any good musicians. I learn by emulation so everything I hear is like a new textbook I have to study and review,” he said.

Coronado will be in the Annual Holiday Band concert scheduled to be held in the auditorium tonight at 6:30.