I didn't choose trumpet, it chose me. That may sound bizarre, but it is true. Our family moved from NYC to FL when I was 13. It was the middle of the school year and the easiest elective to put me in was band.....on drums of all things. LOL. When summer approached, I told my band director I really didn't want to play drums, but would rather play bassoon. He told me that I was going to play trumpet (he being a trombone player). I said, "huh?" He said he remembered me doodling around on my friend's trumpet during one of the breaks and said that I showed proficiency on that instrument. He proceeded to hand me a few tapes and books and a trumpet and told me to work on it over the summer. If I arrived in the fall prepared, he would put me in the symphonic band section on trumpet. Well, I returned the
next day having completed all of the play along tapes and books and wanted something more interesting and challenging. At first he didn't believe it, but after spot checking me on all of the books, he scratched his head and had a big smile on his face. In the fall I was placed first chair in symphonic band and the rest is her-story.
