AUSTIN, Texas —
The classical music community is paying tribute to Draylen Mason, a 17-year-old musician who was tragically killed in the 2018 Austin bombings.
The double bass player's life was cut far too short, but the song of his life still resonates.
"One of the things Draylen has always said was that he was going to leave a legacy," Mason's mother, Shamika Wilson, said at the unveiling of a new concert space named after her son.
The space was named by classical music radio station KFMA.
Mason's legacy still washes over his mother six years after his death.
"I'm glad Draylen's story didn't end the day he died," Wilson said.
Mason died in 2018 when a bomb-maker mailed explosive packages to random addresses in the city.
The ripples from his death hit immediately, according to Dana Wygmans, Mason's private instructor.
"It kind of was like the energy for this felt very halted at the time," she said.
The bombing crushed many long-term goals Mason worked so hard to achieve. He was on his way to a full music scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music.
"It was just really heartbreaking. He didn't get to go and, you know, because he worked so hard to get into these music schools, and I know that he was so excited," Wygmans said.
The ripples from his death soon grew into a wave of impact.
"Based on how tragic this loss was, and that I knew there was this person who showed so much promise and made it so obvious that he loved music so much," Wygmans said. "I think after he died, that's why so many people were like ... 'We have to remember this person. We have to honor this person.'"
"I think it's really special that the community of Austin has recognized how special this person was," Wygmans added.
KMFA opened its new concert hall in Mason's honor in 2020.
"Our space keeps his name out there. It's very important for us to keep his name alive and attached to music," Anthony McSpadden, KMFA's director of broadcasting and content, said.
The station also created a composer-in-residence program in Mason's name.
"We're moving music forward because he couldn't. Because he can't," McSpadden said.
Each year, the program selects someone from an underrepresented community to compose new music.
"I think it creates history. It creates a story for Black History Month," McSpadden said. "We're sort of creating new stories for it down the line."
The chosen composer for 2024 is Austin-based cellist Sophie Mathieu.
"It's really an honor to be sort of furthering that legacy. And it's something I seek to do in my music as well," Mathieu said.
Another group Mason was a part of, Austin Soundwaves, also honors him through a fellowship program.
"We wanted to honor Draylen in a way that really represented who he was, kind of all facets of him," Austin Soundwaves Executive Director Patrick Slevin said.
Advanced high school students work for a year on a major performance that uses music to address social justice issues important to them.
"This combination of music, community, social justice – that's who Draylen was," Slevin said.
It's a melody of honors those who knew Draylen say is music to their ears.
At the opening for the space at KMFA, Mason's grandmother and KMFA board secretary/member LaVonne P. Mason said, "He always wanted to give to the community and give of himself, and to help others."
She also released this statement to KVUE:
"The family of Draylen Mason is truly grateful to KMFA for honoring Draylen's legacy by naming the Music Studio after him. We are hopeful that it will provide promising young musicians an opportunity to develop and perform. Also, it allows us an opportunity to participate and share in his great passion for music through the Draylen Mason Composer-in-Residence Program. We have gained inspiration through fellowship with the composers. It is uplifting to attend events featuring upcoming artists and community events."
At the same opening event, Wilson said, "Heaven is rejoicing. Draylen would love this I know this as his mother."
Rejoicing in a song that keeps on flowing.