Gabriel Pietrzak doesn't look like your average Catholic high school product.
The 17-year-old recent graduate of Archbishop Carney secondary has stretched piercings in both ear lobes, a tattoo on his arm and a ring on below his lip."It's a little different for this school," he admits, glancing at his alma mater.
But it's part of his act.
Pietrzak is the lead guitarist, backup vocalist, co-songwriter and assistant manager for Love Sick Kids, a five-piece unsigned pop-rock band - founded a year ago - that lists Marianas Trench, Hit the Lights and A Day to Remember as influences.
Last fall, it released a three-track EP called Love or Heartbreak, which can be heard via YouTube and, soon, iTunes.
And, despite the constant member change-ups - a common theme with pop-rock bands - Love Sick Kids has managed to play a couple of gigs over the past few months, including at Vancouver's Tom Lee Music Hall.
Pietrzak picked pop-rock "because I really like how you can move around the stage with it," he said. "With metal [music], you have to concentrate on the riffs. But I like to have fun and jump around with the crowd."
Still, the Coquitlam teen has a serious side - not to mention a wide repertoire.
This fall, Pietrzak will start a four-year music diploma program at Vancouver Community College, where he will study jazz/contemporary guitar.
Later, he plans to earn his bachelor's degree in applied music then complete the teacher education program at UBC.
Teaching music at the secondary school level is his passion.
"I like to help kids learn something new so that they can feel better about themselves," Pietrzak said. "I think it's a very satisfying job.... I feel like if I can pursue this goal, I will be as happy as I can be."
He credits his Carney music teachers, Amy Stephen and Evelyn Young, for encouraging him.
A Carney student since Grade 8, Pietrzak has played guitar and trumpet in the jazz and concert bands and been in the concert choir. They suggested he sign up with the VCC's Guitar Workshop (focusing on improvisation, soloing, music theory and performance) as well as Douglas College's Summer Jazz Intensive Program.
Steven said Pietrzak has been musically driven since the junior grades: twice, he won school's concert band award and, in Grade 11, was named the instrumental performer of the year at Carney.
"And now, upon graduation, he is very mature, focused and professional in his attitude towards his music studies, which I think bodes very well for his future in the industry," Steven said. "He is proud of his professional work so far with the band and I could see his excitement when he shared the band's new songs and recordings with us in class."
She added, "It's always great to be involved in teaching a young person who follows their passion and takes it to a high standard. You know they're going to give some great music back to the world."
A guitar player since eight, Pietrzak said he got serious with his studies two years later. Pietrzak is also well rounded with different genres, be it classical music or heavy metal rock. "I think it's important to really open yourself up to what's out there and learn new techniques," he said, "and I want to pass that on to my students. I think the more variety, the better."
