There’s No Toast Without Music

This is an extensive list of all of my experiences related to music, whether that is:

• Playing instruments,
  
• Arrangement,
  
• Composition, or
  
• Production.

At the age of 4, I learned how to play piano and read sheet music and that start really helped.

In elementary school, I became more interested in percussion and learned how to play different concert band instruments such as snare drum and bass drum. Since I could read sheet music, the teacher allowed me to play the glockenspiel in 4th and 5th grade.

In middle school, I joined choir. Earlier on I was a Soprano 1, but as my voice dropped, I became a Bass 2. I remember the day I asked the teacher if I could switch parts because it was a bit strenuous. It was a few days before the concert but he confidently asked me “Do you know the part?” and I said yes so he let me switch.

In 6th grade, I tried to learn guitar with guitar lessons, but I didn’t enjoy it as much so that’s the one instrument I don’t completely know.

In 7th grade, the high school that I was going to go to had a program with their marching band to recruit middle schoolers to join early so they get the experience. I was one of the only people that had the full 6 years of marching band. Originally, I wanted to be in the drumline, as that was my dream since I moved to percussion, but they had a rule: you must play 1 year in the pit to play mallet or auxiliary percussion. After I did, I fell in love with it and didn’t join the drumline until later in high school. Around this time, I learned how to beatbox, and it’s been a part of me to this day.

In 8th grade, I learned how to play ukulele which was pretty common for kids my age at that time.
Entering high school, I joined most of the music programs and classes that existed which included jazz band, drumline, chamber choir, pit orchestra for musicals, and more.

In 9th grade, I learned how to play vibraphone, crash cymbals, hand percussion, and more auxiliary percussion. Around this time, I had obtained a copy of FL Studio 20 and played around with that, not really knowing what I was doing but nevertheless uploading music.

In 10th grade, I was forced to go back to my roots, and play piano for both jazz band and pit orchestra because of the graduating senior. Around this time, I had bought an Ocarina, an Otamatone, a slide whistle, and a jaw harp. Needless to say all of these were very fun to learn.

In 11th grade, I did the most I possible did throughout all of high school in terms of music. I became the Jazz Band Captain being that I had the most experience in it. This was when I led jazz band rehearsals, selected our repitoire for the seasonal concerts, and wrote arrangements specifically for our band. Some of these arrangements include Bob-omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64, Tank! from Cowboy Bebop, and more. This was also the first time I would play drumset for both jazz band and pit orchestra. While jazz band had swing, sambas, or blues, pit orchestra had funk/disco music for Sister Act the musical. During this time, I learned how to play trumpet and sousaphone despite not using it in any context.

I was also part of a 4-man band including myself on drumset and my friends on bass guitar, piano, and saxophone. This was a way to bring jazz band to events that don’t have room for the full band, or just background music. We performed a few times in concert, which included repitoire like Aquatic Rune Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (originally arranged by InsaneInTheRain, then rearranged for us)

Similarly, in 12th grade I was still leading the jazz band, playing in the drumline including some away football games, singing, and playing in the pit orchestra.

For the first 2 years of college, I was in their choir and jazz band as well as pep band in my last year of college. These groups I didn’t necessarily grow with or do anything special, but were still enjoyable.
During this time, I learned how to play bass guitar and learned how to use FL Studio properly.

Near the end of college and after I graduated, a friend of mine who is a dance major at UMBC asked if I could compose music for her choregraphy.
The first choregraphy she asked me to compose for was about Sleep Cycles, in which it was a 4-part song about 7 minutes long. Each part was each cycle of sleep that a person goes through: N1, N2, N3, and REM.
The second choregraphy was about “femininity”, a very vague broad concept that she wanted to show in a Heels dance, which was a 10 minute long piece.

And now we’re at the present, post-graduation. Currently I produce music for myself and do sound design for videogames using FL Studio 24 and FMOD Studio. Videogames was another passion of mine that grew pretty much along side music. They went hand-in-hand for me, as videogames have the best music.
Despite not having much access to instruments besides a MIDI Keyboard and a mini bass guitar, I still keep music very close to me. I could probably sit at a drumset and start swinging even though I haven’t played in a year or two.