Ever since I was little, I have actively sought opportunities to learn and play music. It started out with a box of toy musical instruments; I played with them and sang so often that my parents knew already that I love music. I taught myself to play the soprano recorder. Since my seventh birthday have been a pianist and take private lessons. In sixth grade, I joined band as a flautist; now I am the first chair and soloist flute in my school’s top concert band. Each summer from sixth to eighth grade I played flute and/or piccolo in the district middle school summer band, which performed in two parades every year. In seventh through eighth grade I played keyboard in the middle school jazz band. From tenth through twelfth grade I have played mallet percussion in the high school jazz band. In eleventh grade, I became one of the original members of the school pep band; now I am the first chair and soloist baritone. My most important band experience began the summer before ninth grade when I joined the high school’s competitive marching band. In this marching band I improved from a middle school flautist to a first part in the group’s leadership, learned to march, to work in sync as a team, and honed my focus to the …show more content…
My music teaching career began in the summer after eighth grade when I began to teach piano to a seven-year-old. Now I teach six piano students and two recorder students, who are all successful in their two annual performances. After my ninth grade year, I was the flute staff for the aforementioned summer band; was my first experience with teaching people close to my own age. Throughout tenth through twelfth grade, I have tutored flutes in their band music. Now in my last semester, I am a Teacher Cadet (student being mentored by a teacher) to my band director. All throughout high school I have been building up teaching experience along with my practice and performance
Sweat dripping down my face and butterflies fluttering around my stomach as if it was the Garden of Eden, I took in a deep breathe and asked myself: "Why am I so nervous? After all, it is just the most exciting day of my life." When the judges announced for the Parsippany Hills High School Marching Band to commence its show, my mind blanked out and I was on the verge of losing sanity. Giant's Stadium engulfed me, and as I pointed my instrument up to the judges' stand, I gathered my thoughts and placed my mouth into the ice-cold mouthpiece of the contrabass. "Ready or not," I beamed, "here comes the best show you will ever behold." There is no word to describe the feeling I obtain through music. However, there is no word to describe the pain I suffer through in order to be the best in the band either. When I switched my instrument to tuba from flute in seventh grade, little did I know the difference it would make in the four years of high school I was soon to experience. I joined marching band in ninth grade as my ongoing love for music waxed. When my instructor placed the 30 lb. sousaphone on my shoulder on the first day, I lost my balance and would have fallen had my friends not made the effort to catch me. During practices, I always attempted to ease the discomfort as the sousaphone cut through my collar bone, but eventually my shoulder started to agonize and bleed under the pressure. My endurance and my effort to play the best show without complaining about the weight paid off when I received the award for "Rookie of the Year." For the next three seasons of band practice, the ache and toil continued. Whenever the band had practice, followed by a football game and then a competition, my brain would blur from fatigue and my body would scream in agony. Nevertheless, I pointed my toes high in the air as I marched on, passionate about the activity. As a result, my band instructor saw my drive toward music and I was named Quartermaster for my junior year, being trusted with organizing, distributing, and collecting uniforms for all seventy-five members of the band. The responsibility was tremendous. It took a bulk of my time, but the sentiment of knowing that I was an important part of band made it all worthwhile.
I'm tough on myself, much like most people my age. So I feel like I haven't accomplished a lot, but I have. This essay prompt really made me think and a million achievements rushed into my head. My entire high school career has been focused around band. I've made many achievements throughout my high school band experience. I've gotten nothing but gold medals at solo and ensemble competitions and always had a perfect grade in the class. Most of all, I've been building my leadership position, and now I'm a field commander. It was a tough road, but I've made it very, very far. Band is an experience that has gifted me various skills and unforgettable memories.
One of the biggest decisions of my high school career came my sophomore year when I decided to try out for the role of drum major in my high school band. This decision was very tough to make due to the fact that I was a sophomore, and although I already had three years of experience under my belt as a band member at Northview High School, I knew that it would be very tough to earn the respect of my peers if I succeeded in becoming drum major. Out of the three years I had spent in the band, the biggest influence on my decision to try out came from my very first marching season, between August and December of 2012. From that year forward, after seeing many areas that the band could improve, watching how underclassmen and middle school band members
Where I learned how to become a leader through the leadership ensemble within the marching band. Where in my senior and fourth year of marching competitively, I became the Drum Major, and earned the Best Drum Major Award at the Roxbury Marching Band Classic Competition. From marching band I progressed into jazz music, where I became the lead alto saxophonist in the top jazz band at my school during my junior and senior year. I was also one of three saxophonists in the top band at my school. I picked up the clarinet, the flute, and the soprano saxophone on my way through high school, and have played all three as well in my performing ensembles. I played in the pit orchestra of the theater production of “All Shook Up”, and was the principal saxophonist at my high school. Too be short, I am very involved in all things music in the past and currently. Band and music have been a place for me to rely on, something that brings me joy when sad. Allows me to express myself through sounds and through instruments. It is truly a talent and a hobby that I hope to continue through college and through life because of the joy it brought me and creative outlet it was throughout my
Music has always been one of things I excelled in. In elementary school it was required to be in music but second in 5th grade you have the option to be in band. I was in band for 6 years before I stopped and I went to 5 honor bands. I played tenor saxophone and was 2nd chair all six years. Jazz band was something we had in middle school and high school. We had 2 jazz bands in middle school. Jazz one was for 8th graders and jazz two was 7th grade. I played in both. My first year I played tenor 1 and 2 and the second year I played baritone saxophone. My 9th grade year I played only tenor one. We didn’t have to audition but the students who plays that instrument normally would have first say in who gets 1st, 2nd and sometimes 3rd part. That
I have played an intrinsic role in my school’s band and orchestra department through helping organizing performances, teaching classes, and tutoring individuals. On a regular basis, I am responsible for directing and teaching classes including beginning band, with grades ranging from fourth to twelfth, and more advanced ensembles like concert band and marching band. I also play an important role in their performances sometimes by directing and other times by contacting venues to organize dates and times for the shows. I also dedicate time during the week to help beginning players
Following in my sister’s footsteps, my mom signed me up to march trombone my freshman year. The idea alone baffled me; at the time dance filled my life and I showed no interest for this vastly different activity. However, I still joined, but since the peak of my dance season conflicted with the beginning of marching band, I joined a few weeks late. All would have been well if only the trombone section did not disintegrated leaving me without a home. This left me in the dust with no section to go to. To learn a brand new instrument would have shoved me even farther behind, and I refused to go on. In spite of my thoughts, my mom insisted in me not dropping out, so we took a new approach. I joined the color guard.
Mauricio, being a freshman that was just placed in a random band class and having no knowledge of playing any type of instrument, is now a close friend that has had a change of heart about his views of marching band. Many can say, himself included, that he was just a “kid who was in a group of guys” that he called his friends, always one to get into trouble for the most childish things, but when joining this fine art he was able to “find structure and balance out [his] life” and “find his love for music”. When joining band, it can impact one’s life, no matter what circumstances you are in, it helps you find who you are as a person, and give you confidence to be able to pick yourself up after a downfall. Mauricio was able to discover his love for both saxophone and drumming. To this present day Mauricio now a junior in high school is the section leader of percussion. Having that position is not as easy as it sounds, it took him countless days and section leader battles to get him to where he is now. Making the heartbeat of the marching band sound incredibly sensational. Mauricio has overcome his obstacles and his so called “friends” who first judged him for being a part of the “lame” marching band, now salute him for not only being able to play two instruments, but for also expanding his horizons to play all different sorts of
I am a band parent. A proud band parent. I was in band many years ago. I had the privilege of being in the Spring/Westfield band program in Houston, Texas. The high school was divided into two separate schools my senior year, and I attended Westfield. The Spring and Westfield band programs both went on to win the ultimate marching band championship - Grand Nationals. I also attended college on a music scholarship. Many of my friends from college are band directors in Texas and other parts of the United States. I play clarinet in my church orchestra. I have been immersed in music for well over 35 years.
Music has always been an important part of my life. Upon entering the fifth grade, my parents bought me a flute, at my insistence. After moderate success playing the flute, I saw greener grass on the other side of the musical fence. Singing just had to be easier than making music with a long metal pipe. My perception and reality did not exactly match. Singing has its own subtleties and complexities which are not readily apparent to the casual observer. Abandoning the flute for singing, I began taking voice lessons in the tenth grade. My voice teacher was very experienced and encouraged me to pursue my interest in music beyond high school. After much deliberation, I decided to major in voice during college. This path would be fraught with unforeseen difficulties and exciting challenges.
I never thought I would enjoy marching band before high school, but once I joined, it changed my outlook on life. I have had leadership roles in my school's marching band since my sophomore year, acting as a librarian for two years and a section leader for one. This has allowed me not only to become more comfortable with my abilities as a leader, but has made me more confident overall. Before my senior year, I could not envision myself interviewing to become a section leader because I did not feel comfortable with my abilities in the band, or speaking in front of people. However, after three years in the marching band, I not only became part of a family I never envisioned myself joining, but I grew into my own skin. I became self-assured and
I am one of those strange people with a shiny instrument milling about. On our own we solely use our given names, but during marching season, we collectively become known as marching band members. Our matching outfits, flashing instruments, boisterous music, and distinctive smell of sunscreen and sweat make us the most conspicuous extracurricular by nature. However, we represent more than just an extracurricular. We manifest a cult.
When the day I joined marching bad, I knew my life had completely changed around. I still remembered my life when I am not in marching band. I always talk in class and disrespect to my teacher. Band had changed my life because it let me understand teamwork, prepareation, and friendship. Teamwork is important to everyone’s life. I remembered back into band camp, we receved a new music to play. Since this is my first year in band, they gave me an easy part. I read the music and played perfectly a few time. Then the director came in and wanted us to play once for him. Unluckily, one person in our section can’t play his part. So we started to help him and finally he got the part down. At that point, I understand that one person could
Two weeks before school even started, the Hotchkiss High School Marching Band began its march to the state-qualifying competition in Delta. We worked four hours a day for five days, getting our fundamentals going and getting a feel for our new show. Once school did start, we started practice at 7:00 a.m. and went for two hours every day, working on music and marching. Our band was once again small (eighteen people!), but our sound was great. It was actually easier trying to teach a smaller group because of the difficulty of the moves we were attempting. Of course, I didn't help matters much by my trials of congeniality with the podium. I figured if I didn't fly off with flapping of my arms, then surely I would walk right off the stand.
Of all the instruments laid out on display, only one caught my attention. I was thirteen at the time, and naturally, my eye was drawn to the shiniest of the group. I had never heard the sound of a flute before, aside from the cheap imitation of one on my family’s electronic keyboard. Nevertheless, I picked the pretty, gleaming, easy-to-carry flute on that first day of band class. Three years later, I can’t imagine playing anything else. What started off as blind luck and an attraction to shiny objects is now a part of my life. Playing an instrument is always a worthwhile investment; you develop a skill that many people only wish they had, you have opportunities to meet other musicians, and you may even get to travel in a band setting. But in order to reap the benefits, you first have to learn how to play.