How the Music Programs in Middle School and High School Changed My Life

So when I was growing up, I didn't have many friends. I was quite a shy person for the most part. My summers were spent at home, my school years were also spent doing nothing fun at all, I was bullied a lot, but there is one thing that changed my entire life. The music program in my middle school and high school.

At the young age of 9, my father bought a Trumpet for my older brother to play in the school band. Three days later, my brother said he didn't like it, and my dad slid it under his bed just in case I wanted to play it the next year when I went into middle school. The loser that I am told me to start learning the same day. So over the next year, I ended up teaching myself all of the fundamentals of music so that when middle school came, I was ahead of everyone else. And that I was, all through middle school, I was first chair, had multiple solos, and was first chair in the All-County Band. Then high school happened...

Going into high school was a really weird time for me. I already had self esteem issues, never had a girlfriend, didn't really know what to expect, etc. But then I met my family, the Marching Band. I'm not really sure what it is about it, but the Marching Band is always such a tight knit group of people, much tighter than the concert band or wind ensembles. We basically lived together because we had 4 hour practices twice a week, pre-rehearsals for football games, and a competition on most Saturdays, 3 parades a year. Then I realized a grand life lesson, one that I'll never forget. "If you put in as much work as the person next to you, and that person does the same, and so on...your group will be very successful, resulting in the most fun, which will bring everyone together." These people will remember every single time you were feeling down, and you will remember how hard they tried to bring you back up. The band is only as strong as its weakest link. With that being said, this is one of the many reasons why I started to feel great about myself and I had the most trust in anyone that I had in my life.

In the band, I grew older, took on some leadership positions such as section leader and brass captain. When my sections succeeded, I was happy, when we weren't, we worked harder, we got through it until success happened. Not many people realize how hard it is to be the section with the most volume, to basically run while you play, and also remember the musical concepts such as blend and touch, articulation, dynamics, etc. while in a cotton uniform with long sleeves, a plastic or leather hat in the 100 degree sun, uphill both ways lol you get the point. (but oh yea, this isn't a sport?)

Like I said earlier, going into high school as well as much of high school was a pretty weird time for me. I was dealing with what now people call social anxiety in a way, while in a leadership position. That's all I should have to say hahaha. But then I realized something. If anyone knows what ASMR is, then this paragraph should be nothing new. What that is, is basically random soft or crinkly noises that relax the mind in such a way that you zone out and basically have a brain-gasm. The noises make you feel happy. So I realized that while I play, (I practiced every day for multiple hours) the emotion portrayed in the music would send me on a mental journey and by the end it was like an ultimate stress relief of sorts and for the rest of the day and night I felt extremely happy with myself. I tried to explain it and talk about it with a couple friends and they looked at me super weird and gave me the classic, "you felt happy because you were satisfied with what you learned and the progress you made." While I'm sitting over here like bro, I felt the music haha.

Another amazing thing that changed my life was how to stay motivated. I mentioned earlier we had a plethora of practices every week, a football game and likely a competition on top of regular school things like homework, other clubs, social events etc. (marching band is your social life by the way, good luck getting out of it). I also mentioned the physical demands of the SPORT. So guess what, some day, you're going to hit your wall. In the spring of my 11th grade year, I auditioned for and was accepted into the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. I thought I would have my finances in check, but nope basically it didn't happen. The techs there explained that in this grueling SPORT, you will hit a point that you want to quit, that you want to go home, etc. But the kicker is, is that you were selected about of thousands of applicants and I'm sure there is someone out there dying to fill your spot. Live in the moment, these are the best times of your life. Your friends are there to supply a shoulder to cry on, to help you out, to talk to etc. You will make it.

What I just said was pretty much the same trend as the 2011 U.S. Army High School All-American Marching band. This group is a 150 person band of seniors selected from throughout all of the country by an video audition process that will receive an all expenses paid trip to San Antonio, TX to put a 8 minute half time show together in less than 24 hours (the show isn't just a stand and play deal either, the drill was one of the hardest drills I'd ever experienced) during the All-American Bowl in front of over 1 million viewers both in person and online. But the 3 days we practiced and put the show together, everything was crunch time, crunch time, crunch time. Injuries both structural and heat caused were happening left and right, sun burns etc but they told us to "Be Worthy." Meaning we were selected from thousands of applicants, given a multi-thousand dollar trip and lounging, have the opportunity to live this learning experience, to have the opportunity to wear a uniform saying "U.S. Army" across the chest on a golden banner on top of a black fitted uniform also displaying the American Flag on the right shoulder. There is and will always be a kid that would have killed to take someones spot. So through all the pain, all the stress, be thankful.

Well folks, that's about it. All of the things I mentioned above turned me into and had a large play in becoming a United States Marine, a successful mechanic, and now a successful welder. Remember to always push yourself to the limit and then some. Be thankful for hard times. And always remember not to breathe at the same time as the person next to you. See ya!