Tim Huston makes playing the Euphonium downright cool.

The Bay Area resident was a self-professed sports addict growing up in Dickinson until he became introduced to the trumpet in sixth grade. And it opened up a whole new world… “Learning to play music was a lot like sports, it takes a lot of practice to become good,” said Huston. At that point, I wasn’t really into classical music, so I kind of resented it. But I started really listening to classical composers and started to love music.”

He learned to play the Euphonium, a baritone brass instrument, when attending junior high and honed his skills as a member of the high school band. “I realized the potential I had when it came to music, so I started paying more attention to what I had going on.”

Huston was a part of Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps, a professional marching band during his senior year, and won the 2002 World Championship as well as received recognition for his solo performance. After high school, he auditioned and was accepted into Drum Corps International. “DCI” is a powerful, nonprofit, global youth activity that provides entertainment to millions through live performances and nationally-televised events. Drum Corps International is Marching Music’s Major League. Trevor Braselton, the current Dickinson High School band director, was Huston’s Brass Caption Head and a big influence and mentor.

While Huston was achieving success with the Euphonium, he also began a lasting relationship with the guitar. At 15 years old, he picked up a guitar at the encouragement of a girl. She bought him a Metallica CD and book, and since he knew how to read music, it was kind of a natural pursuit. “When I hit my freshman year is when the guitar came into play. Oh, the girls!”

Huston formed a rock band while in high school called Stillframe.

Who would have thought, that through a twist of fate and a phone call from Scout Bar’s owner Thomas Wilson, would eventually lead to his joining The Hunger, a popular industrial rock band from the Bay Area.

As the lead guitarist in The Hunger, Huston has shared the stage with other successful rock and roll bands like Papa Roach, Filter, Chevelle, and Hinder to name a few. During this time, he was also performing with local bands ERASETHEVIRUS and Another Day. It was a rockstar lifestyle. A merry-go-round of night performances, indulgences, sleeping late, and then repeat…

During 2011, Huston fulfilled a desire to learn the violin. He bought books to study before he actually bought the instrument. “It took about six months to learn it,” said Huston. “It’s harder than it looks!” He would sleep with his violin and listen to Niccolo Paganini documentaries playing in the background. “It was a huge factor in learning the instrument. I completely immersed myself in the knowledge of the greatest violinist to ever live.”

He learned Bach and fiddle pieces, but it wasn’t enough. Huston needed to take it up a notch and sought the discernment of a San Jacinto Community College professor. He needed to know if he was just good, or maybe good enough for a scholarship.

He was. Huston received the scholarship, attended San Jacinto’s Central and South campuses, and performed with the college’s orchestra while pursuing a Performance Arts degree.

For the past five or six months, Huston has taken a hiatus from music and the lifestyle to refresh his perspective and goals. He is now healthier, wealthier, wiser, and more driven than ever before.  Just spend a minute talking to him and you can easily see how positive and excited he is about his upcoming projects.

“I feel more alive than ever,” Huston said.

At 28 years old, the classical music lover has formed an original metal-core band called I’ll Fight You For It. Huston associates the sound with modern bands A Day To Remember and All That Remains. “We have all the right elements,” Huston said. “The band has been working on songs, and it’s all coming together.” The band members are Huston (guitars, vocals,) Lloyd Blahut (vocals,) Ty Gore (bass,) Matt McClain (drums,) and Andrew Lyssy (guitars.)

As he continues to master the violin, Huston is looking toward the next instrument - the eight string guitar because it will offer more range. That means a lot to a musician who writes by notes and not by lyrics.

“A possible album and solo project will hopefully evolve from this instrument within the year.” Visit www.facebook.com/illfightyouforit for more information.