Personal Narrative: Orchestra

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 have played trumpet since I was in the fourth grade -- that makes a grand total of 8 years. I had always taken private lesson and taken a keen interest in perfecting the instrument. At the beginning of high school, I decided to switch teachers and start working towards the district band audition. Just like with everything else I do, I was going to put all my effort into making district band. To be honest, I did not think I was going to make district band freshman year of high school simply because it was my first time auditioning. But when it was all said and done, I received a spot in the district band ensemble. It was the best musical experience I have ever had. I have never heard so many great musicians together before, and to be a part of it was absolutely incredible. I knew that I had to do anything I could to be a part of this group year

1. Thirty pounds of metal resting on my left shoulder, I marched for hours in the blistering hot sun. The sousaphone was my greatest enemy. In 6th grade I was chosen to play tuba for our middle school band, I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me. Two years later, I had gotten pretty good. I made all state band, won some awards, and was 1st chair. I had no intention in joining the marching band my freshman year.

I have been in band for six years. I have been in the Northglenn High school Performance Ensemble for three years. I first picked up a flute when I was just an anxiety-ridden 12-year-old who became flustered talking to anyone who I hadn’t known for over a year. I preferred to stay in very tight knit groups where everyone had been friends for five plus years. I made the decision to stay in band when I realized I had made new friends without any effort (an occurrence I had never experienced), and on top of that, I was having a great time. At this stage in my life, my family was experiencing a lot of issues. I practically lived in the hospital waiting room my entire sixth grade year; that newfound friendship meant all that more to me. I officially decided to remain in band and join marching band when I was 14 with much encouragement from my band teacher and the promise of being able to spend more time with my newfound best friend. The summer before freshman year was spent marching on a field in grueling heat with kids who all already knew each other; the prospects of new friendship didn’t look too great… My anxiety had yet to subside but, I was having the time of my life. As the years have gone by, I’ve evolved and grown with those kids who I once was terrified to talk to. They are very much

Marching Band has been a part of my life since I was about 9 years old. “I’m with the band” has been something I’ve said since I was in the fourth grade. In 2008, my band director, Mrs. Bollaro decided she would create a Pep Band, which soon turned into the ALJ Marching Band. My oldest brother, Eddie joined, and two years later, my other brother, Giulian joined. I was always mesmerized by the pretty flags and the spinning weapons, so it was not a surprise when I decided to join colorguard. When I finally made it to the eighth grade, I was allowed to join the colorguard. From the moment I knew what colorguard was, I wanted to be a part of it. My mom, and two of my aunts were in their high school colorguards, so being in colorguard meant more than just spinning. Joining marching band meant that I was following in my family traditions, and continuing what my family had started.

The marching band has also felt like a home away from home. If I wasn’t at home with my parents, I was on the band field. While being in the marching band at my high school, my long-term goal was to become their drum major for my last two years. I wanted to be the drum major that would cause the band members to put every ounce of passion into performing the show. Once I decided this during my freshman year, I put my heart and soul into my band. I stepped up to any work my band director needed help with. Whether it was fundraising or running OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) events or lining the band field, I was there to show my band director I was ready to be a leader. My setback came when I didn't achieve section leader for the flutes

Everyone knows who the band kids are. They see the band members marching under the Friday night lights and listen to their non-stop chatter about band. It’s easy to pick them from a crowd. I, despite my chagrin to admit it, am one of those kids.

My past has had lots of good times and has had some down right shitty a.f. times. But it’s in the past, so I’ll try not bringing up those memories. So let’s start in the beginning. It was 6:00am at Hamot hospital in Erie,PA, and all of a suddenly you here a huge “OOOUUUCCCHHH!!!!!!!!!”, then badabing badaboom it was 6:01am and I was born. Apparently when I was born I was very yellow looking. Nothing was wrong with me I was just born yellow. After a couple months I started growing out of it, and eventually turned the color I am now, which after lots of discussion and debates with people it has been determined that I’m almost the inside of an almond color. Anyway, after the hospital I lived with my Mom and my Grandmother at her old house in Erie.

When I first joined the band, I was a quiet, emotionless guy. I didn’t have any close friends in the band either, so honestly, I wasn’t having the best time. The people around me always seemed so happy to talk to others, and it confused me in a way. But then when band camp rolled around, people started to talk to me, so naturally, I began to respond to them, and eventually I began to start conversations for myself. I was a whole lot less awkward as days turned into months, my stuttering was reduced to almost none, I'm pretty loud, and I'm pretty friendly too.

In third grade, I was having a great year up until violin class right before winter break. It was an early morning on a bright, chilly day in November. We could see our breath flying through the air. I reached into the violin cabinet and grabbed a violin, hoping that I would get lucky by getting a shiny violin, which is very unlikely. None of us owned a violin so we borrowed them from the school. Unfortunately the wood was usually scratched, the strings were loose, and they were severely out of tune. The bows were also out of shape. Sometimes they would be too loose, where all the strands were floppy, or they would be too tight so it would be bent. But of course, this was an unfortunate day, headed in the wrong direction. I opened the case, and there was an extremely out of shape violin.

“William, it’s your lesson today, start practicing! I’m paying for you to learn violin, not to waste time playing with Rubik’s cubes!” This used to be a common occurrence on Wednesday’s, the day of my violin lesson. My mom would screech at me to start practicing, and I would wave her off and pretend to practice for twenty minutes.

York City memories in my heart, I joined the rest of the cast and reveled

Currently, I am involved in multiple choirs and vocal ensembles inside and outside of my high school, and because I plan on majoring in Vocal Performance, I will have some of these same opportunities available to me in college. Of all the groups I have participated in, there is one type of ensemble that has peaked my interest over the past few years and that is an a cappella ensemble. At my school, I am a part of an a cappella group called Women’s Octet, and if I were given the opportunity, I would start a club like this at UC. When everyone is singing a different part, it is important to be in sync with the other members of the group, not only vocally but personally. Bonding is essential for any ensemble or club, and it is a great way to

I've been singing classical music since 7th grade, when I entered the choral music program at my high school. It was due to my love for music that I chose to join then, but I stayed for so much more. From choir, I have built relationships, travelled the world, and learned much more than I ever expected. I met my best friend in my first year of choir, one that I likely would've never met otherwise. Our love of music bound us together, and it allowed us to discover many other similarities between us. In more ways than one, I have crossed the globe with choir. My director, Dr. Brookey, gave us pieces in languages and from countries of all kinds, expanding our worldview by teaching us about the meaning and culture behind each of them. West Africa,

The following years really put my belief of not letting outside influences persuade me away from what I loved to the test. Accepting an answer that you don’t necessarily like is much less involved than having to step up and say, “No, I deserve this. I’ve earned it.” This proved to be true when I transferred to Satellite High School. Satellite was known for their enhanced musical education programs. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it was the people telling me that I would never amount to anything in their top orchestra that really pushed me to find a way to put myself in the first chair seat. Landing last chair my sophomore year was hard to come to terms with. Stepping back to look at the big picture of the situation helped me recognize that it didn’t matter who was going to stand behind me as I tried to work my up through the seats within my little section. The only thing I needed to focus on was who was going to put up a fight as I challenged them for their seat. Most people were rather lackadaisical about their music, and moving up through the section wasn’t too difficult. Looking into the faces of everybody that told me I couldn’t, yet watched me get closer to my dream was satisfying.