Please allow me to introduce myself:
My name is Maya Penner. I am 16 years old, and I am from Winnipeg, Canada. I am High Note's creator, the site's writer, editor, publisher, interviewer, photographer and organizer. This website was designed and imagined by me. Everyday, I am learning about what a magazine is, and what it can be in our always changing world. I am hoping to help you learn along the way as well.
To start, let me say that I am a music and Pop Culture enthusiast, a kid who for as long as she can remember has been obsessed with flipping though the pages of magazines to see her favourite celebrities, first absorbed in their images and stories and then later moving on to social media, a round-the-clock exposure to all things music and celebrities. Music has always been a constant in my life, whether it was through the form of physical music, my obsession with a musician or even a musical movie or T.V. show. I truly believe that music can bring the world together. CD's, Streaming Services, the Radio, Live Concerts, there's nothing better than the power of music, no matter where it is from, it's just that simple. Music can be such beautiful and meaningful works of art, just like writing; which is where I come in. I am only in my teens, but I've always loved languages, speaking three already myself. Being a journalist for a magazine seemed like a dream way too far out of reach.
That was until I heard about the Propel program. Propel is a project-based learning program at Nelson McIntyre Collegiate here in Winnipeg. Grade 11 and 12 students from seven High Schools around our division are invited to apply for this program. If accepted, students will attend the program for one semester to work on a major project. This is my major project. We were given the past two weeks to complete tasks to prove our major project concept. I was required to create and design a website for the magazine, write a concert review, an album review, conduct an interview with a fellow Propel musician, write a Letter from the Editor, and many more tasks. If you would have asked me two weeks ago, I would have told you there is a chance my Proof of Concept will not be completed. Two weeks and a lot of hard work later, here we are. I am so proud of the outcome so far, it has been going exactly how I had hoped.
But enough about me: Let me tell you about this first round of material from High Note.
All the articles writing processes were about exploration, discovering new writing styles and learning how to capture the attention of readers.
For the concert review, my family brought me to Minnesota for the show. There was 381 days in-between the time I bought the tickets and the concert, which means I was highly anticipating this show. Can confirm it was well-worth the wait.
The album review is for one of the most popular albums of the year so far. Showcasing the artists pain, sorrow, love, lust, and serenity. After listening to certain songs on the album, I found them stuck in my head for several days afterwards.
I chose who I did for the interview because he is dedicated and passionate about music, which is exactly the kind of energy I want for the magazine. I figured the questions asked would be a great start to advance me into other interviews I will inevitably organize in the near future.
October is time for making decisions before Winter starts, before the final phases of my program begin. I am hoping by the end of January to have made physical copies of my magazine, but only time will tell. For now, I am beyond happy with the website.
My goal is to bring a bolt of energy and joy to the magazine’s pages-- as well as help you fall in love with music all over again, every single day. If you let music into your life, it will work wonders.
I thank you with all my heart for your support.
Stick around and expect more very soon.
-Maya Penner, Editor, Writer and Publisher.