Senior Connor Langston strives for perfection in his work, hobbies, and passions.  As a musician, Langston aims to please and to make something he can truly be proud of; as a high schooler, he aims to stay afloat while balancing clubs, school, and his dreams.

“I’m just trying to get to and set up the next chapter of my life, and have some fun as a high schooler while I can,” Langston said.

 Langston holds a key leadership position in the school marching band. As the center snare, Langston must keep the band in tempo and on time, which greatly impacts the overall performance of the band. After four years in the marching band, Langston found himself at the top of the ranks in the percussion section of the band, taking initiative as a leader within the section, and ultimately the band as a whole.

“Although we conduct the entire band, the drum majors must get constant tempo from center snare. Since Connor is center snare, he essentially sets and keeps tempo for the entirety of the show,” drum major and senior Ruthie Southall said.

Also a member of the NC SkillsUSA chapter, Langston participated in the Audio Radio Production Competition at the 2016 SkillsUSA state conference in Atlanta. SkillsUSA allows students an opportunity for growth and competition in their career interest. The competition required competitors to create a three minute radio show about a specific topic given to them by SkillsUSA.

“SkillsUSA is cool because it allows me to utilize my skills in music and sound production in a competition where I can really show how good I am,” Langston said.

Alongside his partner, former NC student Brandon Boggs, Langston placed first at the state conference and advanced to the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky. The SkillsUSA national conference lasts a week long and allows networking opportunities with both individuals and businesses from around the country.

Currently employed by the local Pita Pit, a mediterranean pita bar located on Jiles Road, Langston works for a source of income to help jumpstart his independence. As one of the  NC students Pita Pit employs, Langston finds pride in his employment.

“I like working at Pita Pit because I really like getting money, and my coworkers are pretty fun,” Langston said.

After almost a year at Pita Pit, Langston hopes he can utilize his work experience to find a job at a local music supply store, where he can further enhance his musical knowledge and connections in the industry.

“I just think it’d be so cool to be surrounded by music, music is something I love, and sharing that love with other people would be really cool,” Langston said.

In his basement, Langston boasts a home studio, full of professional equipment that Langston casually creates high quality music with. Langston collaborates with multiple local artists and fellow students at NC on both alternative and rap projects. Alongside fellow senior Xavier Grace, Langston produced a series for Grace’s upcoming and untitled EP.

“Working with Connor is amazing ‘cause I feel like we’re two chefs cooking together, each adding our own special little secret ingredients,” Grace said.

Fellow seniors Adam Lawley and Cade Felts worked with Langston over the past summer on a series of alternative songs for their band DJango and the MoonBeams. The band takes inspiration from the likes of Beck, Alt-J, and Mac DeMarco, but incorporates a unique “Connor” sound, featuring numerous chord progression with Lawley on drums and Felts on bass. Above all, Langston values happiness and self-fulfilment in all that he creates musically.

“If you can jam out to something you make, then you’ve already won the game, and that’s all that matters,” Connor said.