The acoustics in the tunnel enhance the sound of every instrument and voice.
DANA POINT — Will Campisano has loved music most of his life. Now he’s sharing that love with others, in a somewhat unorthodox setting.
At sunset every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Dana Hills High School senior sings and plays his guitar inside the tunnel at Salt Creek Beach. A singer-songwriter, Campisano’s repertoire ranges from Childish Gambino to Eric Clapton, as well as some original tunes.
Whether its dog walkers, joggers or surfers, listener response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Campisano has played for brides walking through the tunnel on their way to their beach wedding; he’s been asked to serenade proposals; and he’s helped celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.
“A lot of his inspiration comes from the local community,” said Ray Medina, director of vocals at South Orange County School of the Arts at Dana Hills High. “It’s part of the fabric of who he is and he feels comfortable there. People expect to see him there now — it’s part of his identity.”
The idea to sing in the iconic beach tunnel — which last year got a makeover mural from another Dana Hills High student — was sparked more than a year ago.
Campisano and some of his friends — then members of a barbershop quartet — went there one evening when no one was around to see what their vocals would sound like. They found the tunnel had perfect acoustics, enhancing the sound of their instruments and voices.
After Campisano’s friends moved on to college, he decided to go it alone at the tunnel — just him and his guitar.
“It turned into something more than just a hobby,” said Campisano, 18. “Within the first month, a bride walked through and asked me to play for her wedding. I sang all the Ed Sheeran songs I knew, and was included in their wedding photos. I think I made their day better; they certainly made mine. I took this event as a sign that this was my calling.”
Since October 2017, Campisano has played in the tunnel three evenings a week, almost every week. When he performs, he draws a crowd.
“I’m still unfailingly exhilarated when complete strangers hang out and sing with me; when old couples dance in the moonlight as I croon Frank Sinatra; when friendly musicians pass by and play alongside me until dark,” he said.
Campisano started playing piano at age six but didn’t sing until middle school when he began participating in musical theater and choir. He continued into high school and learned to play guitar after being cast as Harry Potter in “A Very Potter Musical.” The role, he said, required him to serenade the dragon on guitar.
“I decided to learn how to play guitar and since then, I’ve never put it done,” he said.
But his biggest inspiration is singer-songwriter John Mayer.
“He’s one of the best — if not greatest guitarist of our generation and his songwriting and his work has an extremely personal insight into the world,” Campisano said. “To me, a great artist is someone who can evoke emotional response out of someone solely through their work and every time I listen to John Mayer, I feel passionate about music.”
There, Campisano was among 30 students — out of 300 — who passed their auditions in a singer-songwriter competition.
“I got to perform with my fellow songwriters in a series of showcases where we played our songs onstage. I was impressed with the other students in this competition. I learned how they wrote their music and got a whole new perspective on writing.”
Now in his senior year at Dana Hills High, Campisano, who has a 4.1 grade point average, is involved in arts at school. He has a leading role in the school’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which opens Dec. 6, and he’s part of the Dana Hills Improv Team.
The Laguna Niguel resident also is busy filling out college applications to places such as Berklee College of Music, USC, Yale and Harvard. He hopes to study music performance — something he says he would like to spend the rest of his life doing.
Meanwhile, he’s working to expand his performance schedule with gigs around town at local restaurants.
Medina said he admires Campisano’s talents, especially his storytelling skills.
“That’s what sets him apart from the rest,” he said. “I’d liken Will to someone like Carole King. He takes his experiences and puts them to pen and paper and tells stories in a way that moves people.”
While he waits for his break, or until he goes away to school, Campisano plans to keep singing in the tunnel at Salt Creek Beach.
“I just want to make people happy by playing there,” he said. “I want everyone to enjoy themselves, have a good time, and enjoy the beach as much as I do. I want everyone to know everything’s going to be OK because it has to be. I also want to inspire anyone who makes any form of art and for them to know that it definitely has a place in society, and is a beautiful thing to share with the public.”
