By: David Yang

Middle school presents a unique societal experience for youngsters, offering a distinct perspective compared to elementary school. During the summer break before my first year in middle school, I felt compelled to venture into something new, so I decided to join the school band.

My first task was to choose an instrument for the band. I was captivated by the trumpet and noticed that our band was lacking trumpeters, so I made my selection. I vividly remember entering the classroom for the first time. While my peers had already started playing the trumpet and engaging in simple exercises, I arrived with a borrowed trumpet, only to realize that I lacked a mouthpiece. Fortunately, one of my classmates, who later became a friend within the band, lent me his spare mouthpiece. I felt somewhat distant from the others because they had already started learning their instruments in elementary school, while I had no prior experience in band or teamwork.

The friend who lent me his mouthpiece had additional practice sessions on Mondays. Every time we met, we bonded, and he became the person I would normally talk to. He assisted me in improving my trumpet skills, generously sharing various techniques. Although he wasn’t an exceptional trumpet player himself, his passion to teach me anything he knew was evident. My trumpet teacher also played a significant role in my progress over the next three years. From what I recall, my toughest times was when I couldn’t even make sounds from the trumpet. But my obliging teacher carefully instructed the ways of being a better musician. He also acknowledged my rapid improvement compared to other newcomers to band instruments.

One year later, I had become accustomed to the new trumpet I purchased and had familiarized myself with the dynamics of playing alongside my fellow classmates. The musical compositions we tackled became increasingly challenging, but I persevered. Our band eventually participated in the district competition, securing second place and earning the opportunity to compete at the national level. Although we achieved a fourth-place finish, everyone was pleased that we had the chance to represent our school as a united team. Through countless rehearsals and competitions, I witnessed the essence of teamwork in everyone’s actions. It became evident that success in a band involves more than mastering your own instrument; it necessitates assisting others in need. Not only did we carry our own instruments, but we also helped our percussionists with their heavy equipment. Through hard work, I learned that supporting fellow band members is the key to a successful ensemble.

Joining the band proved to be the best decision I had ever made. Not only did I learn to play the trumpet from scratch, but I also gained valuable experience in teamwork throughout those three transformative years.