Personal Narrative: My Relationship With A Concert Band

I hate marching band. Leaving the trap of a class was the best decision I made in my high school experience. Once I was through with band, I joined theater. Joining theater for my schedule well, introduced me to friends, and opened my mind to new possibilities I hadn't considered before.

To the average person, the high school marching band is nothing more than a bunch of geeks that play during half time at the football games or monopolize the benches by the band hall, but to me, it is so much more. To me it is a family, a safe haven, a creative outlet, a home. I have been involved in marching band for three years, going on four, and I wouldn 't trade the experience for anything. When I entered high school as a scared and awkward freshman, I immediately had three hundred people that I could rely on. The program quickly became like a second home to me and opened up a whole new path in my life. Playing percussion took on a whole new definition in my eyes and I gained not only a greater respect for music, but for the people that created it and managed it and loved it like no other. Through my high

A person’s hobbies say a lot about them as an individual. It is a universal truth that the people you surround yourself with have a major impact in shaping who you are, and the people that coincide with your interests can either change your life for better or for worse. For the past six years of my life, I have been a part of the fine arts community through band.

I have always been a particularly musical person. When I was younger, I wanted to become a singer when I grew up, but upon joining the choir in elementary I realized I did not have the talent for singing that I thought I had. Continually singing off key and never sounding as good as my peers did, I decided to confine myself to singing at home where only my family could hear me. Despite this revelation that I was, in fact, a terrible singer, I still wanted to participate in some type of musical performance and decided to join the band in middle school. After trying out various different instruments, I settled on the flute and quickly fell in love.

National Honor society was established to recognize outstanding high school students. National Honor society recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of academic success, leadership, character and service. I should be in National Honor Society because I think I represent a lot of the qualities needed to be in this organization.

Music is a very recent thing that has changed my life. I have always had an interest for music, since I was young I would dream of playing the Alto Saxophone. My dream became a reality in Sixth Grade when I was able to pick up and learn an instrument. I ended up choosing the Tenor Saxophone because of its dark full sound. I progressed very quickly taking lessons from Jill Marasa, band director at Costa Catholic Academy, later that year I bought a Flute, and Clarinet. I also became very proficient on those very early on. I soon moved to where I live now. Before I even moved I already had contacted the band director at Germantown Hills Middle School, Eric Loring, to see what their program was and to see what instruments they had available. I ended up starting the oboe, which till this day is the love of my life. During the Seventh Grade I was introduced to the Central Illinois Youth Symphony. I auditioned for it and their Flute Choir on, Oboe, Flute, and Bassoon (picking up and learning only a week before auditions). When the results came in I found out that I had made all three parts doubling Oboe and Bassoon in the Central Illinois Concert Orchestra (2013-2014). The season was very successful but soon came to an end. I soon sold my Bassoon and purchased an English horn. I soon switched Oboe teachers, I went from Kylie Hankosky (2013-2014) to Alison Robuck (2014-present), Oboe professor at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. Over time I

I’m at home on the high school parking lot. It’s the only space the administration grudgingly affords our marching band, and yet it’s ours. The band family lives and thrives off people supporting each other, we are there for each other when no one else is. I was elected by this family to be their band president last spring, and I have been completely changed. Despite the flashy title, I am still just one member of this 140 strong group, and I am still pushing to fulfill the responsibility placed on my shoulders.

I have been in band for 8 years.  Words cannot describe how much I have enjoyed the past 8 years. When I chose to join band in 5th grade, I did not know how many friendships I would make from one simple choice. As I got better at playing the flute, the friendships grew stronger. In high school, I was in marching band, so that means more time spent involving band. During marching season, our Saturdays were consumed with band competitions. Because of the competitions, our practice times were every day during band class and every Monday afternoon.  During practice time, we would have to go through a plethora of repetitions. If we did not do our best when we practiced at a particular part of the show, our band director would make us go back and do it again. His infamous words were “One last time” ; however, we knew that it was highly likely that we would have to practice the section more than once. Even though the whole band groaned as Mr. Ausbrooks said “One last time”, I will never forget the indirect impact

My background is firmly concreted in the band community. I had no idea that joining the band as a tenor saxophone player in sixth grade would have such a remarkable effect on me. My teachers and I have noticed my growth, driven by my dedication to what I love. I have worked hard within my supportive band association to achieve my goals. Of my ultimate goals was to make one of the most exclusive bands in Nebraska. When I was selected to play in the 2015 All-State honor band, my dream transpired. Since the seventh grade I have participated in jazz band along with concert band; I now play in my high school 's most selective jazz band. Humbled by my elite group members, I accept many improvisation solos to express my ideas and find my place among

Out of all the things I would do in high school, nothing would impact me more than joining the North Rangers Marching Band. It would give me more skills than any other aspect of my life that would prepare me for a future and allow me to evolve from a shy child to an adult with skills that prepared me for my future. I went into high school as a shy kid, with no true direction, at least until I discovered my schools marching band. Although coming in two years behind most of me peers, I knew that this was where I was meant to be, and with that, my mind was set and I was determined. Throughout the next two years, I would face countless difficulties with this that felt at times like tests of my willpower and what this band meant to me, but luckily I would push through, and in the end, would be left with a stronger person. As I look

Being in high school, I have always thought that a student should be involved in some sort of activity, whether it be sports, choir, or the gaming club, it’s nice to branch out just a little bit. Well, I did quite a bit of that including golf, band, and theatre.

Transitioning from middle school band to high school band was a major jump because of all the time involved, but it was such a great transition. Since my freshman year I have always done all I can to be my absolute best in this program. I never slacked off on practice unless I had another event I had to attend. Every summer we have band camp that consists of 8 hours a day working our hardest to get the season started. Once school starts the color guard had three hour practices three times a week, last year it was only two, and now we only have practice one day a week because of the effort we all put in at band camp this year. We perform at almost every home football game during halftime and then play pep tunes in the stands. On Saturdays we

Throughout my high school career, I was forced into many situations where I was challenged to connect with my peers and serve as a role model for future students. Whether it be my involvement in the school marching band, or helping students in community tutoring sessions, I have always made it my goal to better the people around me through my own efforts. Throughout my high school career, I have put forth my best effort to connect with my peers, transform individuals, and make a difference in my community.

Being a bass play professionally is a difficult thing to do. Being signed with a label would make you plenty of money; but, see the problem is that signing with a record label is actually hard to get done. You have to be in a band or a very good solo player. Then the band or you has to be seeing my a label company. From there they have to think you’re good enough or that you’ll make them enough money to be signed over. So instead of that let’s talk about what is like to be a hobby bass player.

On Wednesday, the 18th of May, I attended and participated in the Final Band Concert of the year. Throughout the year, all band students continually practice pieces and the Final Band Concert is the only concert to have every band student in it from fifth grade all the way up to twelfth. This concert is always very special because it is both the first large concert for the fifth graders and the last for many students. The concert started from the Fifth Grade Band, then to the Junior 6th Grade, Advanced 7th and 8th Grade band, and finally to the High School Concert Band.