Name: Anna Petrillo
Major: Jazz Performance – Voice
Year: Junior
Hometown: Bayonne, NJ
Fun Fact: I knit, crochet, sew, and do pretty much every kind of crafting there is.
Guilty Pleasure: One Direction, I’m not even guilty. I’LL TELL EVERYONE, and also 90’s pop music. Love that.
Extra-Curricular Activities: I love getting involved, especially on campus. I am a sister of Theta Phi Alpha and a Student Ambassador. Aside from working and being active at WPUNJ, I’m also Sales Associate at Michael’s in Bayonne. I also teach Private Lessons in Voice and Piano.
HC: When did you realize you wanted to be a singer?
AP: Probably when I was about four or five years old. I remember sitting on my living room floor belting out “My Heart Will Go On”. My dad yelled to my mom, “Are you hearing this?!” They got me a piano and from then on, I was hooked. Music was all I wanted to know.
HC: How did you hear about William Paterson University?
AP: It’s funny, because I hadn’t really known too much about it. When I started getting more and more interested in Jazz, I was looking at schools for that. I found a school that my heart was set on. Or so I thought. Then, my mom and one of my music teachers in High School told me to check out William Paterson. Little did I know that it was the home of one of the best Jazz programs in the country. It was also a fraction of the price and a fraction of the distance of the other school. So, long story short, coming here was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made.
HC: What type of music influences your personal sound the most?
AP: I love listening to,singing and writing all different styles of music and incorporating different sounds into mine. Of course I’m influenced by my idols, like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Dean Martin, all the classics. But also, one of my absolute favorite singers is Brooke Fraser. I also like Sara Bareielles, Michael Buble, James Morrison, Jeff Buckley, Simon & Garfunkel, Amy Whinehouse, Adele, Mumford & Sons, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and so many more that I can’t even think of right now!
HC: If you could have a jam session with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
AP: If I started naming all of the musicians I’d love to collaborate with, we’d be here all night. But I’ll definitely say that if I could pick a couple, it’d be Ella Fitzgerald, Brooke Fraser, Michael Buble, Miles Davis, Jeff Buckley, and Billie Holliday. I’d honestly love to jam any of my favorite artists because I love that feeling of connecting with someone when we’re playing together, and to have that connection with any one of them would be awesome!
HC: If you had to give one piece of advice to upcoming music majors, what would it be?
AP: Don’t be afraid to try something new. Push yourself and challenge yourself every day. This is one of the best Jazz schools in the country. You don’t think I was nervous singing in my ensemble or my classes for the first time? I was terrified. Definitely don’t hold back once you’re used to the environment, whether you’re coming here for Jazz, Classical, or Pop, Performance, Music Ed, or any of our majors. You were accepted here and they want you for a reason, so BE CONFIDENT!
HC: Do you have a favorite quote? and if you do, what is that quote?
AP: “Music (n) : Life. Inspiration. It’s what feelings sound like; A portal between the harsh reality of the world and the enchanting illusions that our minds can illustrate; An escape from actuality into a realm of mystery and wonder. It’s beauty written on five lines, plain and simple yet so intricate, black and white yet bursting with brilliant color.” – Me
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” – St. Catherine of Siena
HC: Where do you see yourself two years after graduation?
AP: Well, the good and bad thing about being a musician is that I’m not entirely sure of where I’m going to end up. I’m a performance major now, and I teach private lessons as well. I plan on going to Grad School for either Music Education or Music Therapy. I’m acutally really interested in the Music Therapy program at Montclair! Just for fun, I might be auditioning for The Voice in January….but we’ll see :)
Check out Anna’s original song “Old Love“!