How Raising my Voice Helped me Become a Better Musician
“Now you do realize what you will lose if you go through with this, Correct?”, said (TEACHERS NAME), head band director of my school, . (TEACHERS NAME) had just received word that, I, his 1st part Trumpet player would not be a part of the band program next year. He, among others, didn't see it coming; I was a passionate, dedicated player heavily involved in the program, and probably in the top 10 of Stone's “least likely to quit” list. But sure enough, I had made up my mind much earlier in the year that I would replace band with another elective. Why, might you ask? My lifetime focus, you see, is to make major improvements to the music industry; to bring back quality, and trimming off fat (Miley Cyrus, Robbin Thicke, ETC), so wouldn’t it seem like a good choice to stay in a musically challenging class? Incorrect. First life lesson: Not all music classes are created equal, but have no fear; this can still be interpreted as something for the better.
Band taught me 3 major things: Respect for those over you, higher-level musicianship, and how to play trumpet like a boss (and also how trumpet is obviously the greatest concert band instrument). Band offered a foundation for my life; respecting authority is one of the many keys that will help you succeed in life, and get to the places you want to go. Also as a dedicated pianist that barely had the opportunity to, as my friend would say, tickle the ivories in class, I was still able to learn many things that were completely applicable in both the trumpet world AND the piano world, without ever having to play a note. In order for me to be successful in the next part of my life, I would need this foundation that band had laid. I decided my sophomore year that I had received enough vital information from the class and that it was time to move to another chapter in the book of school.
A lot of times, when I look back in retrospect, band seems...