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Sean Stone came to Lincoln Trail College to play baseball. He never expected that he鈥檇 leave as a musician, too.
鈥淚 always wanted to get into music, but just never did,鈥 Stone says. 鈥淏y high school, I decided I wanted to learn piano, so I just sat down at the keyboard we had at home. I started pounding on it, and over time, it started sounding a little better.鈥
What began as a hobby quickly turned into a passion. Stone taught himself to play by ear, learning songs he loved simply by listening and replicating them. But even as his skills grew, he knew something was missing.
That鈥檚 where Yvonne Newlin, Lincoln Trail鈥檚 longtime piano instructor, came in.
鈥淚鈥檝e never had a piano student like Sean Stone,鈥 says Newlin, who has been teaching for more than four decades. 鈥淲hen he talked to me about taking lessons, I figured we鈥檇 start with a beginner鈥檚 book. Then, in class, I played something for the students. Sean sat down and played it back by ear. I was floored.鈥
Newlin was used to students who could play by ear but had little interest in reading music. Stone was different. He wanted to learn everything he could.
鈥淚 gave him his first piece of sheet music, and he picked it up so quickly,鈥 Newlin recalls. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 demonstrate songs for him, because if he heard me play them, he鈥檇 just play them back by ear. So I challenged him, and he took off running.鈥
Stone credits Newlin with pushing him beyond what he thought he was capable of. 鈥淪he taught me how to sight-read, and that changed everything,鈥 he says. 鈥淪he helped me realize that I could do more with music than just play for my own enjoyment.鈥
That realization came at an important time. Stone was already balancing baseball and academics, but he didn鈥檛 see his love for piano as something that could extend beyond personal fulfillment. With Newlin鈥檚 encouragement, he started to think bigger.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unusual for an athlete to have another passion outside of their sport,鈥 Newlin says. 鈥淏ut with music, you鈥檙e not playing a role on a stage鈥攜ou鈥檙e expressing who you are. And Sean has that rare ability to pour his emotions into what he plays.鈥
Stone sees music as more than just a skill; for him, it鈥檚 a deeply personal experience. 鈥淎 lot of people feel closest to their faith when they鈥檙e praying,鈥 he says. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 when I鈥檓 playing piano. It鈥檚 one of the gifts God gave me, and I want to do something with it.鈥
He鈥檚 already inspiring others. Some of his baseball teammates have expressed an interest in learning music, and Stone is the first to encourage them. 鈥淚 tell them, 鈥楧o it. You won鈥檛 regret it.鈥 It鈥檚 good to have something outside of baseball鈥攕omething that lets you take a breath and express yourself in a different way.鈥
Now, as he looks ahead to transferring to a four-year university, Stone is preparing to take both of his passions鈥攂aseball and piano鈥攚ith him. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely blessed to be able to continue both,鈥 he says. 鈥淎 lot of people are lucky to have one passion in life. I have two.鈥
Newlin couldn鈥檛 be prouder. 鈥淪ean is a perfectionist. He works so hard at everything he does. It doesn鈥檛 seem like work to him, because he loves it. That鈥檚 what makes him special.鈥
For Stone, it all comes down to pursuing what makes him feel most alive. 鈥淚鈥檝e never felt like I was juggling baseball and music,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 enjoy every bit of it.鈥