In the space beneath his lofted bed in his Simpson Residence Hall dorm room, freshman Jeffrey Gaiser is the master of his artistic domain.
Gaiser’s Yamaha P-250 keyboard, Apple MacPro computer loaded with programs, an Alesis Firewire iO26 Mixer, Rhode microphone, electric guitar, and electric violin give him the ability to transform his room into a recording studio. But all that equipment is no match for his raw talent — what he calls his God-given gift.
“We like to say in our family that Jeffrey was born into the world humming. There was theme music and everything,” said Elliot Gaiser ’12, Jeffrey’s older brother. “I feel like growing up with Mozart would be a little like growing up with Jeffrey Gaiser.”
Jeffrey said he can remember always having a knack for coming up with melodies as a child. His tunes played in the background to everyday activities his siblings and parents did. When he was five years old, he began taking piano lessons. At age seven, he put together his first song composition and began learning to play the violin while Elliot began learning to play cello. The two brothers played together at events as a pair.
“Music has always been a part of my life,” Jeffrey Gaiser said. “My parents have always been very supportive. [My mom] liked the idea of Elliot and I playing a duet.”
At age nine, Jeffrey completed his first symphonic composition. It was then Elliot Gaiser realized his brother’s talent was out of the ordinary.
“What was always most important to me was writing music,” Jeffrey Gaiser said.
At first, Jeffrey said he was mainly interested in soundtrack and orchestral song writing. In 2008 Jeffrey scored a winning film, named “A Fragile Hope,” in the Regent University Reel Dreams Film Competition. In 2009 he produced and released his first album — the soundtrack from the film. He also scored Regent’s Endowed Film called “The Silver Crown.”
“He has so much potential,” Elliot Gaiser said. “I could see him scoring major motion pictures. Regardless of what he ends up doing, I know Jeffrey has a desire to lay it all at the altar and bless other people.”
It was a challenge his grandpa gave him three years ago that made Jeffrey realize he like writing lyrics with his music.
“[Grandpa] said, ‘I’ll give you $50 if you learn ‘That’s Amore’ and sing it at a family reunion,” Jeffrey Gaiser said.
Jeffrey learned the song, performed it for his grandpa, and has been writing lyrics with his music ever since. He now sees himself possibly taking the singer/songwriter route rather than being someone who writes orchestral scores.
“I like creating something that hasn’t existed before,” Jeffrey said. “I do believe it is a gift, and it has been given to me. The glory goes back to God. I don’t want to squander that gift.”
