Joining band was one of the best personal moves I made throughout my school life. It was 6^th grade, and I was not that much in tune with my social setting. Band had always sounded interesting to me, and I had always liked music. Though band is scheduled as an art class, it is more of a language. It is through this language class known as art, that I learned to express my true self.

Watching the band practice their march routine from the elementary school windows was like watching an army squad march by. I felt like that little boy who envied every part of their uniforms, and wanted to join that band. Once I had watched them go by the class resumed, but my mind was on the band. The next week, I signed up for band. At first I wanted to be a drummer, but I then heard the great sound of the brass band, and with the help of my band instructor, trombone was to be my instrument, and it is with me to this day. Band was not a tough class for me, though it was hard, and ended up taking more time than algebra at home, I loved being in band. I could be part of a great song, and yet still be with friends. Everyone in our band loved it. “the reason I enjoyed band so much was you basically could do anything you wanted if Mr. Seppa liked you enough. If he didn’t like you, you could arouse suspicion to the person and he would yell at them and tell them to play.” (Kenny Bitzer) This does not mean that band was a goof-off room that everyone didn’t learn anything. What this is saying, is that band was a place were we could escape algebra, ecology, and other classes, and be with comrades, and explore friendships that were not even thinkable before band. Band helped us create a world of our own. We were not students in band, but musicians, and we were respected. Even though some musicians exceeded others, it did not mean they were better musicians, but only that these musicians worked harder. Music is not a born skill, it is something that we must work hard to achieve. Though some composers such as Wolfgang Mozart, had skill from the age of 3, it is because they were pushed, not born with it.

Band has helped me to become not only a musician, it has also be able express myself in the sense that only in music can I be heard. My voice has never been that great so singing and speeches have not really been my ideal affair. Through band, music has become my life. After joining band I have been able to speak in front of classes, speeches have now become something I like to do. Even my writing has been improved by joining band. This may not make sense, but as learning Improvisation, I can more freely express myself in my writing.

Band was also a healing place for me. When high school society would do their damage, I could redeem my self esteem in band, and prove to myself that no matter how much people cut me down, I am a good person, and that I will succeed with or without their approval.

Music is not only what we listen to, but how we express our emotions. It is a language more complex than English, yet can be understood by any human, no matter what spoken language we speak. Joining band was what led me to better understand how this language, known as music, can heal any wound, express any feeling, and change the world. “is a new outlet for meeting new people, enhancing my skills as a musician, and bringing music into peoples’ lives.” (Zach Olson) Without band, I would be without this great skill.

For this Essay, I used quotes that were skillfully retrieved by interviewing band students from the Washburn Middle, and High Schools. These students are:

Kenny Bitzer

Zach Olson