I am, as of a December 2015, a third year participating member of the Southern Pride Marching Band here at Georgia Southern University. Music and the performing arts plays a huge role in my life, as it has given me the opportunity to travel and perform at various venues around the country. I have also met most of my closest friends through music, sharing experiences that I will cherish for years to come. Since my freshman year of high school, my skill as a percussionist has continued to grow. This past summer, in fact, I was presented with opportunity to march with Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps.
In reflecting upon my first accomplishment of getting the lead role in this elementary performance, I realize that achievements throughout life are the notes a musical composer uses to build their
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I began piano lessons at a very young age, and was immediately set on a path that would define the rest of my life. I was taken by many instruments as I grew up, but I eventually hit my stride in high school when I began getting serious about the trumpet. During my time spent in the workforce putting my Commercial Music degree to use, I discovered that performance and education are my true passions. It is with this in mind that I have decided to pursue a master’s degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Alabama.
One-hundred and fifty students stared out at the audience, heaving after singing their final note at the All-State Honor Choir Conference. Among those kids was Janie Hawkins, a five-foot-two, singing powerhouse. All state choir is focused on learning music and perfecting skills, so when Janie got in, she received music at home before the “conference.” She and other students tried out in September, received the music and then stayed in Eugene, Oregon. After two days of practicing for the performance with her choir peers, Janie and the choir finally did the performance and had to say goodbye to their new-found friends at the Eugene Hult Center.
She gets off the bus and runs home to her mom begging her to email the band teacher and get her a clarinet. The director unsure at first because of how far behind she will be, agrees to let her join band. Six years later, this once little girl grew up to be a section leader for the clarinet section and a drum major her senior year. She found joy in
The marching band arrangement of the Divine Comedy was the most challenging piece that I have ever had to play. It was only my second year in the band, yet I was playing the center marimba in the front ensemble, an instrument which I had no experience on. I was also the only returning member, the previous year’s front ensemble comprised entirely of seniors and me, so it was my responsibility to help teach all of the new freshman how to play their instruments. Everyone depended on me to be the best one there and be the leader of the group, yet I was struggling to even play my own parts. In order to get to the level that I wanted to be at, I spent all of my free time after school practicing.
At the end of the year for auditions, I decided to try out for Symphonic band, the top band in our school. Because I was in one of the last bands, a lot of people told me this would be very difficult to do. When the results came in I found out I had made symphonic. I was very proud of myself with how much I had improved within just a year. I even got the Academic Excellence for Concert 2 band award at the end of the 2013-2014 school year.
As the marching band season pressed on, I was given more and more opportunities to teach the younger members of the ensemble, and that is when I knew that I couldn’t give up music or teaching. Now I am a volunteer staff member for the Coakley Middle School Honor Band. I assist the director of the program by running sectionals and helping individuals with their music. These experiences have given me the opportunity to teach young musicians lessons about friendship, leadership, cooperation, and musical skills. I would like to continue to commit myself to music
In the 5th grade, I decided I would audition for the band program for the following year of school. I tried out many different instruments, but I ended up becoming a percussionist. Throughout the three years of middle school band, I went from being one of the students who was always struggling to receiving all district and all region honors my 8th grade year, but it wasn't until I got to high school that I realized how much I love music and how fun it can be. I enjoy being able to perform for all sorts of people and see their reaction to the music I make which fuels me to work harder to become better. When I hear people compliment me by saying they enjoyed watching me play and perform, it really inspires me to stick with music and to keep pursuing
I can remember the adrenaline that I felt as I sat on the stage playing a solo in front of a sold out crowd. This experience had a great impact on my musical perspective, challenging me to up my game when the degree of incredible talent was exposed to me for the first time. Hearing the jaw-dropping music coming from the instruments of other musicians surrounding me motivated me to turn my engines on and get to work immediately. Following that experience, I have practiced my butt off to be the best tuba player around, and I mean around the
In the long run, this truly paid off, as it allowed me to develop my skills as a trombone player, but more importantly develop a sense of self-motivation. On the day of auditions, I went in hoping for the best, and although my run wasn’t perfect, the practice and preparation that came before ultimately allowed me to make the band. This experience provided me with a special lesson, and let me know that my talent won’t always carry me, as what really mattered
I brewed up my own mentality about band practices –if I did not march performances, then the practices were my performances. It was during those makeshift performances on the practice field, when it had finally struck me: I have never cared about any activity so much before marching band. Therefore, I was overjoyed every Friday night because I was playing with the band in the stands. But every Friday night, halftime always ripped a fresh hole in my heart because I was never out on the field playing a part in making the crowd
I walked into the band room the band with my heart in my throat, my clammy hands twisting themselves into knots. Why was I here? I didn’t want to be in band-- I could never practice enough to be as good as others, and none of my friends were joining. I sat down at the table before the 5th grade band director, who proceeded to hand me a variety of different mouthpieces and ligatures, trying to find the best fit for me. I walked out of the room 20 minutes later quite disheartened.
I have been participating in the band since freshman year. As much as I enjoyed being in band, I was frustrated with the outcome of my freshman, sophomore and junior years, season. Now, my senior year has rolled around, and I was selected to be a section leader. The other senior section leaders and I set high goals for this season. We encouraged each of our sections to work harder at practice and to concentrate on all aspects of the band show.
There were three combined band in my middle school-awhile I was there. My final year at that school I made top band, wind ensemble, I had a good chair but looking back I could have worked harder to get higher-I was 6th out of 9 clarinets that year. I feel my chair did not give me justice but at the
