Personal Narrative-Marching Band

Being in percussion, during football/marching season, you’re either in Drumline or Pit. Drumline is the section of percussion that marches while Pit is the section that does not. I, as an eighth grader, tried out for Drumline, and was already planning the year ahead expecting fantastic memories. However, I was not fully aware of my skills, or lack of. I was not granted a spot on Drumline and was placed in Pit. After this, I decided to stay in Pit for another year because I believed that my playing was sophomoric compared to my peers. When my sophomore year finished, I believed that it was time to try again; I decided to audition for the snare drum for my Junior year. This audition was far greater than the previous because I was accepted into Dumline, but it was not the instrument I yearned for. …show more content…
I instantly felt discouraged and even pondered on the thought of quitting. However, my percussion director, Mr. Guzman, said, “I know that you want to be a snare and that’s wonderful, but I suggest that you keep practicing, hone your skills, and never give up.” This single piece of advice was enough to push me even further. I, almost immediately, began practicing for next year’s audition. I even began to practice several pieces of snare music in order to benefit my skills. As a result, I started developing the strength and endurance needed to play an entire marching show. My fellow percussion band mates began to notice the amount of time I had devoted into practicing, and also noticed how my skills improved. When the auditions came round, I felt confident in my abilities, but of course terrified. After my auditions, Mr. Guzman said, “Congratulations!” From that moment, I knew that his advice created a pathway for myself and helped me achieve my