Personal Narrative: Is My Band Ready?

I signed up to be in band class in the sixth grade, expecting the class to be equivalent to elementary school. I expected the class to be effortless and enjoyable. However, I was enrolled into the “advanced” band, as opposed to the beginner band, because I had played my instrument prior to being in middle school. So on the first day of advanced band, the band director informed us that we would be having a seating test. Every single

In hindsight, I have come a long way since my first day of band. There have been many friends, many failures, many victories, and many beautiful moments in the wake of my fateful decision in sixth grade. I can say without a doubt that being in band has strengthened my integrity and provided me with memories that I will cherish throughout the remainder of my

Throughout my 5th grade year, I practiced the clarinet and made my way through our first book. I enjoyed band class and lessons, especially getting to be with some of my friends, but I kept thinking about the trombone. I still wanted to play it. By the end of the year, I made up my mind. I was going to play the trombone. I talked to my parents, and my mom talked to Mrs. Jones, allowing me to take the school’s trombone home over the summer between 5th and 6th grade. The first day I got it, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I took it right out of the case and put it together. I was at my parents’ work,

The only saving grace from this low bar was staying active in my fine arts participation by being a teacher art of the choir. Through the instruction of my director and assistance of my music director for a mother, I could be wildly successful in this severely underfunded, underappreciated high school program by making All-Region choirs and by partaking in solo and ensemble choir contests. However, when this school district abruptly cut the choir program from the school budget in the summer before my junior year, I was completely lost as to how to maintain my participation in the fine arts. As it turns out, the school district's high school band director could see the dedicated work ethic

I can remember the moment when I decided that I would become a musician. I was at a summer music program that I didn’t really want to be at, sitting in a room that was filled with the scent of insulation. I was sitting on one of the many blue cushioned chairs in the room/. The instructors went around the hall, asking other children how old they were and what instrument they played. Everyone seemed to know each other already, chewing at the bit to be let on the stage to grab their preferred instrument and play the little music that they already knew with their friends. I felt left out, as I didn’t have an instrument that I could call my own. When the instructor finally got to me, he asked my age, name, and what I played, just like he had to

   When I moved back to Georgia the first time, I was placed into an orchestra class that made me feel like a 30 year-old woman stuck in first grade. I was uncomfortable with the fact that I wasn't being challenged and my love for music was slowly diminishing. It wasn't until I moved back to Virginia that I was put into one of the most highly-recognized high school orchestras in Chesapeake, Grassfield High School. My orchestra director, Mr. Vutsinas, pushed me to new heights of musicality that I did not know I could not

I can say I’m a multi-instrumentalist. I can play the harmonica, the trombone, the ukulele, the bass, the piano, the electric and acoustic guitar, and I’m probably forgetting one. But really I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her” (Montes). “One of the big things I teach my kids is how through hard work, you can accomplish anything. Whenever a kid shows up to a lesson, I always ask them if they practiced, and sometimes they say no because they don’t have a piano at home. It reminds me of the days when I couldn’t even afford a piano, but I push those thoughts away and work towards helping these kids fulfill their dreams as I’ve fulfilled mine. Music teaches the kids how to work through a tough song, and through time and practice, they always get it at the end” (LaBeau). Ronnie’s School of Music has performed annually for several of the city’s prominent events: the Arroyo Lighting at Christmas, Saint Anthony’s Fall Festival, Winter Texan festivals, and many more. LaBeau teaches students of all ages, from three to ninety seven. The majority of her students, however, come from Saint Anthony Catholic

I stood on the podium, looking out at the field and took a deep breath. The fans in the stands behind me were a buzz in my ears as I made eye contact with every member of the band. I held my hands up and clapped three times and then SNAP! The instruments were up and I counted off, starting our first marching band show of the season.

Not only am I the head drum major of my band, but I’m also the president of concert band, a member of the handbell choir (for three years), and apart of my school’s jazz band (for four years). I take this responsibility very seriously and try my best to aid my band director whenever I can. Besides band, I am a member of the school chorus (for two years), the women’s ensemble (for two years), my school’s chamber choir (for two years), and a community choir (for five years)! Music, ever since middle school, has been the driving force that’s kept me busy in life. While other students were bored in study hall, I always was able to resort to my band room to practice. In my high school career, I have had the honor to attend two (going on three) district band festivals and one (hopefully two) region band festivals. These opportunities have been nerve-wracking, yet extremely informing and exciting. My life as a musician has made me think differently on life and provided insight on

I later took up band in seventh grade to get a sense of what music is. Intentionally, I wanted to play the alto-sax and hopefully learn to make great music with it, but it would cost me, so I chose a clarinet. The clarinet had an interesting sound similar to a sax and it was nice to know that I sounded better than Squidward Tentacles. The flute was another instrument that caught my eye, it looked like a recorder but looks and sounds relatively refined. But, I could never get the embouchure right to get that sweet flute sound, instead it sounded like blowing air into a tube, looking back, I probably wasn’t ready to play it

The changes were subtle yet inexplicably complex. The clarinet, previously an instrument that seemed to me a source of primal noise, soon became a thing of varied beauty. Its accent, sometimes playful, sometimes calm, sometimes impassioned, dreamy or melancholic, like the weakened echo of an echo, is like the indistinct plaintiff moans of the breeze in the woods. There doesn’t exist another musical instrument I know of that possesses this strange resonance.

M’s office the first thing I noticed was how small it was. The room was stacked with music, a piano and desk in the corner, and a line instrument on one side of the room. She welcomed me in asked me to sit down. She then showed me the instruments and told me to pick any of them to try. I did as she said but none of the them seemed to work with me. The trumpet felt to small in my hands, all of the reed instruments sounded horrible, and don't even get me started on the flute. Growing tired of this process my eyes wandered around the room. Eventually they settled on an instrument hidden in the corner. It looked like a tuba, but was much smaller and just seemed so lonely. I went over and picked it up. I asked Ms. M, “ Can I please try this one?” She looked at me and smiled and said, “ Of course, that's the Euphonium. It's like a tuba in the regards that it plays similarly and serves as part of the backbone of the band, it's sound though is much more similar to a trombone.” I lifted it up gently, the cool smooth, shining brass fitting perfectly in my hands. Slowly I started to play it. I'll never forget the sound that came out. Sure compared to a more refined sound it was terrible, but it was the sound of a student who had his instrument. Immediately I chose it and walked out with it. When I brought it home my family joked that it sounded like I was playing the noises of a whale mixed with a foghorn but I loved it all the same.

I miss Mr. Miller. I love the new band teachers that we’ve had in the last few years, Mr. Bidwell and Mr. Cross. There is still nobody who can replace Mr. Miller for us. I remember the day that he told us he was leaving. I remember the whole room was in tears, and few were sobbing quietly. Even Mr. Miller had tears building behind each blink. It was hard to hear that he would no longer be there with us. He had lost his hearing almost completely and could no longer teach us the way he used to. The music that he had loved through his life had been the reason he had to stop. Mr. Miller had always been my favorite teacher, and even though he can’t be my teacher anymore, he will remain my

Playing my clarinet is one of greatest talent that I have developed over time. I haven’t had that much time playing the clarinet either I started playing it towards the end of my sophomore year when the marching band teacher told me if I was interested in joining marching band . He gave me the instrument and then before I knew it i was having sessions with the clarinet section leader every Tuesdays and Fridays afterschool from 3:00 to 5:00 and at first I admit it was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because I had no type of knowledge with music whatsoever. The clarinet was one of the first instruments I’ve ever played in my whole entire existence so it was something completely new to me but with proper guidance from the whole clarinet section I learned pretty quickly.

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