For senior Max Freedberg, drumming is his passion. Freedberg first starting drumming in eighth grade when his friends James Shaw and Jack Kanieff picked up the guitar and bass respectively. Over the years, Freedberg has practiced for a few hours daily to reach the level he plays at now.

“I like how for the drums, you can have a lot of control over the energy and dynamics of what you’re playing,” Freedberg said. “It’s just so much power.”

Last year, Freedberg played a few gigs with the band Sound Sedation whose other members are class of 2012 graduates Oliver Levin, Lee Junkin and Adam Tawakol. Levin plays the bass guitar while Junkin and Tawakol play the electric guitar.

With Sound Sedation, Freedberg played at Winter Week, TCAN (The Center for Arts in Natick) and at class of 2011 graduate Jade Donaldson’s graduation party.

Currently, Freedberg is part of Wayland High School’s Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble. Freedberg was also in Concert Band and Jazz Project last year.

Freedberg continues to play with seniors Kevin Capasso, Austin Wong and James Shaw. On August 28, Freedberg, Wong and Capasso played for all of Wayland’s teachers on the first day back to school.

Although he doesn’t have one favorite song to play on the drums, Freedberg’s favorite genre is jazz or bebop.

“The freedom of playing jazz is cool,” Freedberg said. “You’re really free to interact with what everyone else is doing, and it’s usually improvised.”

Although jazz is his favorite, Freedberg also likes playing other genres of music.

“With something like rock, the pure energy and power can be really cool. You really have to stick to something a little more simple, but just that can be exciting. There are different appeals,” he said.

Although drummers Tony Williams and Elvin Jones are two of Freedberg’s favorites, he says that every drummer inspires him.

Freedberg also likes to sing and play the keyboard and hopes that he can continue to pursue music through college and after.

“Just listening to music,” he said, “can be a release or escape from whatever else is going on.”