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Originally Posted by JRFIII  I
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By the time I was in 7th grade I was moved to the high school band (grades 9-12) and was 2nd trumpet first chair that year after the first two weeks of challenges. Then in my Freshman year I bought I Getzen Severinson and was 1st trumpet 1st chair for the next 4 years.
That didn't make me real popular with the older guys/gals back then, but they never won a challenge against me. By the time I was a sophomore (10th grade) I knew I had a lock on it for the next three years unless I slacked off. No chance, I was in love with music by then.
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We had a demonstration in the classroom. I got to go up in front of the class and "make a sound". I made lots of sound and acted like I was a star. (class clown, you know)
My family could not afford an instrument. The school provided drums, but ran out before me. So that was that. But a sister got married and the house she and her husband moved into had an old Holton Collegiate trumpet with bottom load springs. I took it out to the farmyard and blasted on it for hours and it was given to me.
It needed repairs and I was afraid my folks wouldn't pop for the $7.50 Bach mouthpiece my band director said I HAD to have.
I started halfway through the 2nd semester of 5th grade. Couldn't afford a book, so he wrote some fingerings in a clarinet book. In two weeks I was first chair. He also had practice stations set up throughout the school....lunch room, ball closet off the gym, janitor's office etc. If we finished our work in a regular classroom with more than 15 minutes of class time remaining and our behavior was good, we could sign out of class and go practice.
I got lots of positive feedback from the cooks and the janitor, and sometimes kids in phys ed would poke their head in the ball closet and give me a compliment, too. This was really encouraging.
My dad wore a hearing aid. I had to use a mute at home if he was in the house, or go out to the barn or outside. I used to even practice marching. I lived the instrument, but if it had been a clarinet or trombone or flute in that attic, that's what I would have played.
I marched with both the high school and junior band when I was in 7th grade and played in the high school pep band.
We moved in 8th grade to a bigger school, where I was first chair.
In high school I was 2nd chair as a sophomore. First chair was a senior. Thought I had it made. Didn't practice much.
But some DARNED sophomore girl beat me and kept me out of first chair symphonic band my last two years! I did play first in jazz band, because my range was better. But after being "beat out" of first chair by that girl I would shake so bad during auditions I looked like an epileptic having a seizure, which I did not overcome until my junior year of college. I had the shakes so bad I was encouraged to find a different major, but I refused.
Saayyy. Is your name Ann?