Essay On Trumpet Section Leadership

My recent setback occurred when I applied to become the section leader for the trumpet section and unfortunately did not get the position. My freshman year in Ramstein High School, Germany, I earned and held the position as trumpet section leader for the intermediate band. Upon entering my sophomore year, my band director chose me out of ten trumpet players to play in the advanced band due to my performance as the trumpet section leader. The second semester of my sophomore year, my military family moved from Germany back to the United States where I enrolled in the Carl Albert High School Band starting from the beginning as a regular section member. Upon inquiring on how to apply for section leader at the end of my sophomore year beginning

junior year, I learned I could not apply for section leader because I was told it was based on seniority and experience/performance. This inspired me to work even harder to prove how much I was willing to work to earn the position. In the short time I played with the Carl Albert Band, the current section leader and everyone in the trumpet section believed I would make a great section leader and encouraged me to apply for section leader on my senior year. Near the end of my junior year, I applied for the trumpet section leader position. Then the day of the results came, my name was not on the list, this was my setback.

I asked my band director why I wasn’t chosen as trumpet section leader and was told that I didn’t answer the application question as to any of my personal band achievements like Central Oklahoma Directors Association and All-State Jazz Band. Since it is my senior year, I will not have another opportunity to apply for trumpet section leader and therefore there is no resolve to my recent setback. I was disappointed in myself by the outcome of not being chosen as trumpet section leader. Had I only asked my band director to verify exactly what he needed for band achievements, I would have known to list them on my application and would have gotten the position. This outcome has influenced me to look towards my future, to recognize my goals, to believe in myself and to seek out more leadership roles. I learned to not assume and to always ask questions to gain a complete sense of understanding. Even though I did not serve in a leadership position, I’m still part of the section and continued to lead the section by example. I stayed true to my values and morals by arriving to the band room earlier than the starting time and helped with setup and

cleanup. I learned about being flexible and adaptable and how to make the best out of any situation. In the future, even though I may not accomplish what I worked so hard to achieve, I will remain optimistic.