Saints Off the Hill: Inspiring the Next Generation of Dreamers

Nicholas Cabrera ’09 stood in front of the Maguire Auditorium stage and couldn’t help but be joyful. Nick was back in his old stomping grounds—the place that planted the seeds of his passion for music—and it almost felt like he had never left.

The mood was contagious during Nick’s Saints Off the Hill presentation at School Meeting—before long, current students were unmistakably sharing in his joy. Here was a professional musician talking about living his dream and urging them to do the same, and they hung on his every word.

“Canterbury is the reason I do what I do today. I had great mentors here. Mr. Potter (English Teacher Robert Potter) encouraged me to go out for a school play, which furthered my love of performing and gave me a lot more confidence on stage—as you can see,” Nick said. “Mr. Overthrow (Director of Music David Overthrow) motivated me to follow my passion. When I graduated, I thought I would go to Northeastern University for business, but Mr. Overthrow said, ‘You need to check out Berklee College of Music.’ So, I did and thought, ‘That thing I am obsessed with, that I cannot get enough of? That is definitely what I should be doing!’”

Indeed it was. Nick went on to become a highly respected and recognized voice in the New York City music scene and beyond. A skilled guitar player and singer-songwriter, he has traveled the country, sharing his talent with audiences from intimate venues to festival stages. His four-song EP, Fool’s Gold, was met with critical acclaim.

Students were treated to an added surprise during Nick’s talk—he was joined by fellow Saints graduate and musician William Tully ’06, the drummer for Des Rocs who has toured with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Muse, and The Struts. Nick and Will shared stories, answered questions from their rapt audience, and even belted out a few lines of a song upon request. Later that night, they joined other alumni and current music students onstage for Canterbury’s Echoes of Time: Past & Present Concert.

As his morning presentation wrapped up, Nick left students with a final thought that no doubt echoed long after the applause died down. “Follow your passion, guys. Find that ‘something’ that you love,” he told them. “I did. Sure, at times, I thought, ‘I do not exactly know how to make money doing this,’ and maybe someone told me along the way that it is not a viable career path. But, in the wise words of Mr. Overthrow, you take care of the music, and the music will take care of you. That does not only apply to being a musician; it applies to every career choice. If you pursue your dream with integrity and spirit, it will bring you success.”

VIEW PHOTOS