Stamford High is well known for its very talented students, but what you may not realize is that talent extends to the faculty as well. One of these hidden talents belongs to Daniel Ostasiewski, better known as just Mr. O, who works as a multi-tiered support specialist at Stamford High and is also a member of a rock-electronic band called All Riot. We interviewed Ostasiewski to learn more about his creative journey as a musical artist. 

Ostasiewski explained that it wasn’t until after high school he became deeply intrigued in music and began exploring his talent. “I never tried extracurricular things that had to do with music or art,” he said while reflecting on his experiences. “I found out after high school that I could actually sing and write songs, so I always encourage people to try things in high school now because you might find something that’s interesting too.” 

It wasn’t until college where Ostasiewski and his band members began creating music under the band name All Riot. He explained his songwriting process, which often started with something as simple as a voice memo. “Basically, if I have an idea, I will try to record it into my Voice Memos before I forget it and I’ll never never get that back.” he said. Each band member contributes differently to the creative process, and rather than having assigned roles, everyone creates their own parts, which are later pieced together. Ostasiewski also reflected on the band’s experience performing at University of Hartford and University of Connecticut . “We played in garages, we played in basements. But yeah, we rehearsed a lot and I miss playing shows.” he said. 

Ostasiewski shared that his main instrument in the band is guitar, and he discussed one of the more challenging phases of their work, transitioning from a 1990s rock sound to electronic music.  “There were early versions of the electronic songs on Spotify that I don’t really like,” he said. “But I didn’t know what I was doing yet so I brought them back into GarageBand and I remade them for like years and then I sent them out to a producer who made them better. So it’s like that new album took almost like seven years to make—seven years of my life.” he said. 

Ostasiewski said he is constantly working on music and always ready for inspiration to strike.  “It’s just — I basically like I said it’s just if I have an idea I’ll record it on the phone super quick,” he said, adding that the creative process never really stops for him. Balancing his role at Stamford High with this commitment to music, Ostasiewski continues to pursue his passion as an artist. His story encourages students to explore their interests before assuming what they can or cannot do. 

Check out All Riot on Spotify!