When I was in about fourth grade, my parents put my sister and I into Northfield Youth Choir. I loved to sing so I thought it was going to be fun, but on the first night I found out that I was the only fourth grader to have gotten into this particular group and I slowly grew to hate going to the rehearsals. Then my sister began to dislike it as well and we tried our hardest to get our parents to let us quit but they wouldn’t let us. So one day we were going to a performance and Lily and I weren’t very happy about going, but when we got there, there was a woman playing the oboe. I fell in love with the sound and decided that that was what I wanted to do. From then on my goal has been to do something with music. Whether I’m a band director or a performer, I never want my life to be without music.
The foundation of my goal to do something with music comes from my family. My grandpa was a band director and my dad still is a band director, so I’ve been around music ever since I can remember. I’ve also been in band since fifth grade and even though at some points I couldn’t stand it, I like it now. Since I come from a musical family I have always been expected to start on an instrument and be in band.
When I was younger I took  piano lessons, but honestly, I hated that it was something that I had to practice. So, in fifth grade I stopped taking piano so I could start band. When we got to try out the instruments, I asked about the oboe. The band directors told me that if I wanted to play the oboe I should start on flute but I said no I want to play the oboe, so that’s exactly what I did. My parents got me a private teacher, who is also the woman that was playing the oboe at our Northfield Youth Choir performance, and she’s been my teacher for 4 years now.
When I have lessons I have to do scales and scale exercises but I also get to play more fun things like solos and Disney music. I love taking lessons because the band music usually isn’t very challenging but when I play at home or at lessons it’s completely different. The music I play is the main thing that keeps me practicing, and trying to improve. It gives me a sense of satisfaction when I learn how to play something new, and I want to be able help other people have that too.
So, however much I hated Northfield Youth Choir, I am so glad that I did it because it brought me to the conclusion that music was what I wanted to do with my life. Even if I didn’t end up making it my career I always wanted to be around it. This was how my family, my instrument, and the music I play have influenced the goals I have for the future.