“Music has been one of the only things that I’ve loved for my entire life, so… I’m always going to keep on trying,” Alexander Hwang (‘27) told Eastside.

The Pew Research Center found that 54% of all U.S. parents sign their children up for art and music lessons. But of those 37 million kids, how many end up sticking with it? Well, Hwang, a student musician and founder of the newly formed Songwriters/Producers Club, is combining a lifelong passion with service as he plans to connect Cherry Hill East students to the music industry.

After starting classical piano training at the age of four, Hwang began experimenting with different genres when he took on the trumpet in third grade. Igniting an interest in jazz music catalyzed an exploration of his own personal style, resulting in the composition of his first song, “All I Want in the World is You” at age nine. Since then, he has written approximately 30 songs, with four of them having been mixed and mastered professionally. Though starting out creating melodies on GarageBand, he now flies to South Korea to work with producers in a professional studio on top of utilizing his home recording equipment on a regular basis.

“I absolutely want to pursue this professionally. I’ve always dreamed of it as a kid, and that’s why I want to teach others and help [them] get better at music,” Hwang said.

Hwang has cultivated strong connections with the industry, fostering a relationship with Choi Sung-hee, known professionally as Bada – an original member of the Korean girl group S.E.S. – who went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea. Lee Mu-jin, whose 2021 single “Traffic Light” spent three weeks at number one on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart, also followed Hwang on Instagram and works with him on home melodies.

Meeting every Sunday for a composing and mixing lesson with his Korean mentor, and calling late at night to accommodate their time zone differences, Hwang strikes a balance between academics and his passion.

“On the weekend, I just do as much as I can with everything music-related. It’s about dedication… it’s worth it in my opinion because I know the outcome will be good if I keep working hard.”

This story was originally published on Eastside on November 28, 2024.