Maldonado 1 Briana Maldonado-Reece Rebecca Agosta English 111 June 18, 2013 A Musician It was not my first choice

to join the middle school band, it was my dads idea, but it was a good one, even though I did not see it at first. That first day of music class was the noisiest, most hectic, and disorganized day, but just for a few moments. Just by chance, I had some friends who were also signing up. Ms. Ross was the middle school band director, responsible for teaching an entire school band of juvenile beginners how to sit with proper posture, breathe properly, and play their instruments in the entire ensemble. We would all rather complain, gossip, or make fun of each other than learn but somehow she managed to make us pay attention. She was all about order and harmony, and that we learned. First order of the day: we were instructed to put the chairs in rows in the shape of a semi-circle. Then we were introduced to the musical staff, but not like in people. The staff is the five lines and four spaces on sheet music, where musical notes are written. We made notecards to memorize the notes on the staff. Colored notecards covered the floor as we discussed how fascinating it was that each note corresponded with a letter that fit on a bar in the staff. The first day and the first year in band flew by like a dream. At the end of the first year, we all were awed that we would read music and play a musical instrument.

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II I played the clarinet, at first it looked like a boring instrument, but as my teacher explained how to use it, how to assemble its pieces, exactly were to position the reed, and how to position your mouth on the mouthpiece it became more like an adventure. She taught us all how to play our instruments. Once as the band practiced scales Mrs.Ross stepped off the podium, as she often did. She walked around the rows slowly, listening to us individually as the band played together. She stopped in front of the clarinet section, listening more intently. The room got hotter, my pitch wavers, my fingers fumble, I miss a note, I skip the next. Clumsily I continued to play and the scale ends quickly. Ms. Ross looks at me extending her hand, Let me see that clarinet. She turns the mouthpiece so it faces me and she tells me to play. I wasnt sure what she would do next, but as she held the instrument I played without holding back. Her fingers flew with precision and accuracy, the sound was a loud jazzy tune, and you couldnt tell if she made it up or not. I ran out of breath but for a quick moment I was a pro, I sounded good. I thought one day, I would be able to do that, and more.

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III I joined the marching band. I marched with a bass clarinet it took a lot of air to play, its sound was low and rang inside my neck and through my fingers when I played, it is also heavy so I used a neck strap when I marched and a stand when I was sitting. The South Forsyth High School Marching Band was well respected and Mr. Clark held us to high standards. I think he first taught us to stand completely still unfazed by the elements or any distraction, at attention. No excuses, just results. He would say. Early was on time, on time was late, and late was unacceptable. The purpose of band camp is to learn the show the physical as well as the instrumental aspects in two weeks. We spent the first half of the day on the practice football field it was patchy and covered in holes. We all wore baseball caps to keep the sun out of our eyes and filled our water jugs with ice so our cold water would last. All morning we crossed the field, we marched forwards, backwards, to the left, and to the right. We rehearsed the fundamentals. We would step off and freeze, focusing on the horizon, while someone checked our posture; we stood as steady as statues. We repeated drills until everyone did it in time and together. The whole band lined up on the yard lines at one end of the football field. We played long tones and marched across in straight lines. If our line curved we would stop run back and start over until we could march in line across the football field. We learned how to march this way the whole first week of band camp so that we could do it right during the show.

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IV In marching Band we wear uniforms that cover us from head to toe. The front of the jacket is royal blue with shiny silver buttons down the front, the back and one sleeve is black, black pants, black gloves, black shoes, and a black hat. When we are all dressed you cant tell one apart from the other. The marching band performs during half time at the football games and plays from the stands. Every Friday in the band room; we are all getting dressed, putting together instrument, some people are playing, the girls are putting their hair in buns, and everyone is zipping up their jackets. But at precisely 4:45 we are all silent, sitting in sections, in full uniform, waiting for Mr. Clark, the band director. He tells us the game is on and we are expected as scheduled. We line up two by two, its game time, we are serious quiet, we gaze forward, instruments in hand. We all march to our warm up spot; its a big grassy patch away from all the commotion. We march into the shape of a semi-circle around the conductor. I can hear the announcer over the speakers. Every one is poised and waiting for our signal to start. A hand gesture that is a count, one and two and three and four and play. We hold a concert F to tune; as I play I am trying to match pitch. First I listen to myself and the other bass clarinets next to me, when our sound blends steadily I listen to the pitch of the entire ensemble to make sure I

Maldonado 5 match. Our warm up is always short and before long its time to march to the football stadium. The drum line sounds off and start the cadence. With just the drum line playing we march in time to the beat, we follow in line and file into the stands. The sun is still bright in the sky as people arrive: students, friends, and families.