To the left is the front of the program from my first studio recital.  All of the percussion students performed soli and observed each other's performances.  I played Sea Refractions, a marimba solo by Mitchell Peters that had been assigned to me for my lessons.

     In addition to taking lessons in my studio, I am in numerous ensembles this semester, including Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble II, the Fall Athletic Band, and the Pride of the Lions basketball pep band.  In high school, it was conceivable to be in numerous bands, choirs, and orchestras all year, but at the collegiate level, rehearsals are more intense than the credits show and it is not practical to do everything at once as an undergraduate.  Practicing and other classes take up the majority of any music major's time.

     In high school, I was perceived as one of the more skilled musicians.  Both of my scholarships, the PMEA District Four Orchestra Scholarship and the Lemont Young American Band Scholarship, pertained to music.  At college, music is taken to a new level.  It is meaningful to say, "Oh, he's a music major," not because of what it was like in high school but because everyone is expected to practice multiple hours every day.  That guarantees a higher level of musicianship.

     Here are two assignments about my musical experiences that I wrote for the seminar class in music education.  Both are .doc files: