FERRIDAY — For Ferriday High School senior Jeremiah Dykes, learning music is difficult, but not as difficult as living without it.

Dykes first picked up the French horn in the sixth grade and has been expanding his musical abilities since then.

He now can play the trumpet, baritone and, his favorite instrument, the tuba.

Occasionally, Dykes can be heard practicing his tuba at his house or even in the neighborhood streets.

Dykes said while everyone around him wanted him to play football in school, his love of music was too strong.

“I’d much rather learn how to transpose written music on the page,” Dykes said.

Music, he said, is a stress reliever, and it provides refuge and takes him away from his “real world” problems.

“It keeps me from worrying about anything other than what I’m doing,” Dykes said. “When I’m stressing about school work, and I go to band practice, if I play my instrument, all my stress is relieved, and I can just go back to do my work.”

Dykes said he enjoys meeting different people in the band and how all of the musicians have to work together to play as one band.

He said playing the tuba works with his personality, because he is not a fan of being in the spotlight.

“You can play solos on it and you don’t have to be out in front of people when you’re playing it.” Dykes said. “You can stay in the background and still be heard.”

“I also just wanted to learn how to play the biggest instrument in the band.”