Dc Severinsen Speeches

Summer before junior year of high school, I was looking at a lot of standardized tests, essays, a heavier school workload, college applications, and getting a driver's license; my most immediate concern, however, was the soon to begin marching band season. Spring semester of sophomore year I had decided to audition for a leadership position in the band, and I suppose I was the best candidate because I managed to snag Section Leader for my instrument, clarinet. As the final days of July passed by, I anticipated the start of a season where I would be mentoring and teaching my fellow clarinet players the complex art of marching band. A few days before leadership camp I received a letter in the mail from the Head Band Director, Mr. Larry Brown, and immediately I knew things were not going to be what I expected.

I began playing the trumpet in the fifth grade. Back then, I loved playing the trumpet. We had band practice at the end of the school day every Tuesday and Thursday, and I looked forward to those rehearsals every single week. I loved it because in elementary school, the directors didn’t care about my tone quality. They didn’t care about how talented I was. They couldn’t care less whether or not I practiced. I loved it because it just gave me an opportunity to socialize with my friends more.

All of this contributed to me joining the marching band, beginning in eighth grade, which has taken over my life now, in the best way possible and given me a defined place. It’s nice to be a part of something like

Anyone who has ever been in a high school band likely knows about the trumpet player stereotype: trumpet players are egotistical, and they are always trying to outdo one another. I know that stereotype well because I am a trumpet player, although I did not always know that I would gain a passion for music the way that I did. I was initially unsure of what instrument I would play or if I would even enjoy being in band. When I joined band at the beginning of sixth grade, we were allowed to try playing various instruments to determine which one we wanted to learn. The trumpet and alto saxophone were the first instruments to stand out to me, so I tried playing the trumpet first and was able to produce a fairly reasonable tone. On the other hand, I tried the saxophone, and it yielded what I described as a "farting noise" at the time. Aside from my sixth grade humor, I decided that I wanted to play the trumpet, and I have never regretted that decision.

I played trumpet and had been in the Honors Band throughout middle school. I really thought I was a very good trumpet player. Unfortunately, I was living under a delusion. In middle school, I had seven or eight trumpet players with which to compete. Upon arrival in high school I had more than 40 with which to compete. There were four different bands at Round Rock High School based on the level of talent and skill you exhibit. I

During my junior year, all high school students of the Coachella Valley were given the opportunity to audition for the All Coachella Valley Honor Band, with a guest conductor H. Robert Reynolds. This was a significant educational opportunity I took advantage of. The audition consisted of a couple of scales, and excerpts from the music that was going to be performed on the day of the concert. When the day came I sat in front of the judge with my music and clarinet, where my nerves began to rise. Before I began to play my heart began to pound along with my hands beginning to sweat. Throughout my audition I had a few mistakes,but I stayed persistent and completed my audition. After I finished my audition, the judge said I had done great, I was

Marching band was one of the most difficult/challenging activity systems that I have ever done in my life. But at the same time it was an inspirational and motivating aspect of my life. The very first thing it taught me was the definition of hard work. This was because I spent hundreds of hours to my dedication and devotion to band marching around the field in the hot sun every day. Even though there were times when I wanted to quit; one such instance was when we were out performed by another school, other times it was becuase of the teacher being a little too hard on me when I first started. Despite setbacks such as these, I had an ardent attraction to marching band, mainly because in middle school I was a part of concert band, which made me love music. The biggest, reason why I chose to do marching band, aside from my enjoyment of music, was because towards the end of my eighth grade year my middle school band director told us about a huge opportunity that we had coming up to become a part of the high school across the street marching band. They were called the Titan Regiment. She told us the difference between concert and

As many of you may know today is a day for rebellion, against the slums, the ghettos, the bloody heels of crying children and bad jobs, today we arise as a nation for freedom and equality to stand against segregation. Today we rebel against the aggressors, to make a stand, so that every man, of any race may stand, and coexist as equals. Almost one hundred years ago all of the African Americans made free by the emancipation proclamation. But yet today one hundred, One Hundred, years later we still have to use the colored bathroom, the colored bars, the colored water fountains, and sit on the back of the bus.

People like me, but I would not say that I have a lot of friends. However, marching band introduced me to students of all ages, boys and girls, and through the year I have come to accept the entire band as a second family. This band has made my senior year much more enjoyable and enriched, and I will be sad to see it go. As much as the band impacted me, I have also impacted the younger and remaining members. As a senior, I still had authority and was able to assist other flute players with fingerings and rhythms they might not have gotten on their own.

I seemed to find my voice, and my teacher proposed the idea of me joining Circle of the State with Song. I gladly accepted the offer. It was considered the next level of proficiency in music at that age. Preparing for the exchange with other schools in a few months, one day there was auditions for the best of best to be in the Indiana All State Honor Choir. There were about twenty of us in Circle of the State with Song from Winamac. I thought I should audition for a spot because the worst they could tell me is that I did not make the cut. In the past, there have been little to nobody that had made all state, so it is quite an honor to be part of

Some call me a band geek, I like to see it as a band nerd. To me, a nerd is an individual who is passionate about something. I have been playing the trumpet for seven years now and clarinet for two. I became a drum major my junior year and in my senior year I am head Drum Major. I have received superior medals and achievements since seventh grade in Solo & Ensemble, MPA and FBA. I played in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. I have participated in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago and in Universal Parade in Orlando. I will be soon be participating in the New World Symphony and work with one of the most recognized conductors of Florida. My trumpet takes me places but I also like to teach and motivate others about music. I have composed my own music and became a personal teacher for my fellow band mates, free of charge.

I have always tried to challenge myself with new experiences to help me improve my horn playing and musicianship. Since middle school, I have participated in my district honor band as well as my Allstate band, consistently getting first chair. Besides continuing my participation in the district honor band and Allstate band for high school, I also became a part of the district symphony orchestra and Allstate orchestra. I also auditioned and became a member of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra my freshman year in high school. It was in this prestigious orchestra where I was exposed to amazing teachers from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, some of the highest caliber high school horn players, and best peer mentors I know to this day. I auditioned

Sophomore year of marching came. This year was a surprise for everyone. With our show being named ‘Masterminder.’ The band members marching were under control by the color guard soloist; the puppeteer. This show was pretty exciting, too. The judges also thought that. We made it past regionals AND semi-state. What? Yeah, we all thought the same thing. We had made it. We had FINALLY made it after so many years of just trying to get past regionals for once. It was a bitter-sweet feeling waiting for placement awards at Lucas Oil Stadium. The instructors went around to each band student one by one. The congratulated us on an amazing season. I started tearing up, but that isn’t surprising. As we marched our way out of Lucas Oil Stadium that night, I knew that this was only the beginning of a new generation for the Marching Marksmen.

I first started playing trombone in 6th grade at Avon Intermediate School West. Since then I have grown to love the trombone and all low brass as now my main instrument is bass trombone but I also play euphonium. Once I entered Avon High School I joined the marching band. In the marching band I have competed at grand national championships finals multiple times. I have also won three state titles in the marching band. Another special moment I had at Avon was performing at the Midwest Clinic with the brass choir. The teachers at Avon have helped me progress so much not only as a player, but as a person. They taught me the values of hard work and how success will follow a good work ethic. Outside of Avon I have performed in the Indianapolis Symphony

I first joined the band in the fourth grade playing the drums. I played for about two weeks then I quit because I didn't like it, mostly because of the teacher. In the sixth grade we got a new music teacher and told me I look like a trumpet player, so I gave it a try. I was taking music lessons but after the first one my music teacher told me she had to leave because she