Personal Narrative: High School Marching Band

With a wide spread of my arms and a clench of my fist, the last notes of Panic! at the Disco's song, "Victorious" came to an end. As I called the band to attention and to march off the football field, I knew the marching season for the Mead High School Marching Band was coming to an end after another year. I remember feeling jittery and excited despite the fact that I was composed before our eight minute marching show began. I hopped off of my podium, used my shaky hands to disassemble the platform, and exited the field to catch up with the band. Our performance at the St Vrain School District Band Night marked the end to my high school marching band career that started just four years prior.

When I first began band, during the summer before my freshmen year, I was very introverted and not used to being surrounded by so many great musicians. I was petrified to play loudly in front of others and stuck to hanging out with my fellow freshmen band members. As the year began to
During my junior year I was the section leader for the Alto Saxophones, and I went on to become drum major the next year. I attended a drum major camp to learn how to correctly and efficiently lead the band. Along with the help of the section leaders and the other drum major, we lead the band to learn more sets and music than we had ever done in the past. By the end the that performance at the SVVSD Band Night we had practiced the non-stop eight minutes of music more than some would have liked to. No matter how well we performed, I was happy to have seen the band come so far since the beginning. The band has given me so much since my first day of camp freshmen year. I have come out of my shell, and found peace from everyday stress as well as a new family to rely on. When I joined the band after that last performance, I was so grateful for the opportunity to have been drum major and I knew that we were