I started band when I was in sixth grade on clarinet. I wanted to start earlier but didn't get the chance to. Everyday I would always be excited to get my once-a-week lesson on clarinet. I always wanted to become a musician ever since I could remember. I wanted to start off on saxophone but they didn't have any left, so instead I chose the clarinet. Band in elementary school was fun and easy. But, as soon as I entered middle school it got harder.

As I entered middle school, I couldn't wait to be in band. Since I started late I was placed in a band class that had to relearn how to count rhythms, what sixteenth and eighth notes were, and chair tests. I was behind in being able to read music since I started in sixth grade. I was in that band class for a whole semester until I got better at reading music. Eventually I moved up and got to be in band with the more advanced players.

When I was in the more advanced class, I realized the music they played was a much harder grade level than what I was used to. My band director at the time didn't like me playing clarinet because I couldn't get the high notes, so he decided to have me play the bass clarinet (which is bigger and lower than the actual clarinet). The music was also easier on bass clarinet than regular clarinet. I played bass from the middle of seventh grade until tenth grade. In tenth grade I switched to learn how to play tenor sax. By that time I had a different band director and he didn't want me to play clarinet either. I knew why. It was because neither of them thought I would ever be good on the clarinet.

Every time we would have chair tests in band, I would always end up getting last chair. It didn't matter how much I practiced or how much confidence I had in myself. What really mattered was, if I was an overall good musician, which I wasn't. There were a few times I didn't know if I could ever be a good or even a great musician. I always felt there were people better than me, I felt like I never had a chance to prove myself.

When I entered college, here at Keystone, I got the chance to start fresh in my music career. I didn't want to be in band and always be insecure about my playing or worry who was better than me. All that was behind me. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be a great musician. When I met my band director, he really showed me it was alright to be at different levels than everyone else, and it wasn't a bad thing. I always thought I had to be as good as the most talented person in band, but I don't, I always try to remember I'm in no competition with anyone else and the only person I should be better than was what I was yesterday.

This story is how I recognized that it was alright not too be as good as everyone else in band. I always pushed myself, even when my past band directors didn't think I could be better. Sure there were times when I didn't think I had it in me to be a musician, but I realized the more I pushed myself and practiced I got better and I felt better about myself. Being in the band here at Keystone really made me have more confidence in myself and to always try harder. If I gave up I wouldn't have had the confidence in myself like I do now.

If you want something go after it because if you don't then you'll never know the potential you could've had. Never give up on what you want even when there are people in your life that say you can't do something. You have to have faith in yourself and to go after your dreams and what you want. But there are also people who have faith in you to, like you family and friends. In my case it was my family and friends but also my band director here at Keystone. He has pushed me to become a better musician because he never gave up on me. To this day I still have to work very hard to be able to play the music, but I know what I want and that's to be the best I can be! My advice to you, is to always go after what you want because you'll never know if you don't try.