Photo by Trey Jones

Hey everyone! I'm a senior at my local high school who's participated in musical activities for the majority of my life. Following in both my sister and brother's footsteps, I picked up the violin in fourth grade and played with my elementary school's string orchestra. Later in fifth grade, in response to my sister's advice, I switched to band and played the oboe, which I have been playing for about eight years now. When I entered high school, I joined the marching band and started the mellophone. You could only imagine how challenging it would be to learn a brass instrument after playing a woodwind double-reeded instrument for such a long time. It ended up being one of the best decisions I've made, actually. Though I've been playing the mellophone for four years and the oboe for almost eight, I feel more comfortable on the brass instrument.

I don't exactly have a particular musical interest in regards to composers or genres, but I definitely know some pieces I've played over the years that still resonate in my mind. Some of these memorable pieces include "Fantasia for Band" by Vittorio Giannini and "Snow Caps" by Richard Saucedo. The fact that I like these two extremely contrasting pieces show my wide range of musical taste, even if it's not for the music you wouldn't typically listen to on the radio. Overall, my musical experience since elementary school has greatly shaped my appreciation and understanding for all types of music.