Personal Narrative: Jazz Band And Concert Band

How many parents are foolish enough to allow their first born child to play the drums? Whether it was lack of sleep or naiveté, they actually did bid on drum lessons for me at an elementary school fundraising auction. Imagine the response of the other parents when they were comparing what they had won. A day at the spa, a family portrait session, or a weekend getaway had to be the standard compared to freely buying drum lessons for a raucous seven year old. Little did they know, their whimsical prize would make me a better person. Drumming has brought out the best qualities in me and it never would have happened had they been like other parochial parents and used their bidding paddle for something more mundane. After three years of pounding out simple beats my

In middle school, I joined the Jazz Band and Concert Band. Because of my faithful commitment to practice, I was able easily perform with others and continue my passion. In high school, I was one of the first underclassmen to audition for the highly selective Jazz Ensemble and I was accepted! Because Jazz drummers are responsible for leading the time and rhythm for the entire band I had to become a confident leader. During high school, I’ve played in numerous competitions and received praise for my skillful timing and improvisation. Both leadership and improvisation have had positive impacts at school and home. I’ve learned to remain calm under pressure during tests and became a more creative playmaker on the soccer field. In addition, drumming has also been an outlet for voicing my feelings. While most people listen to monotonous mainstream music, I’m able to use exotic rudiments and odd time signatures to play custom songs. Without drumming, my personality and skillset would be less than ideal for an ambitious Trojan. Drumming started as a whimsical purchase has grown into a life changing