Spit happens

All-State has come.... and gone. And here is what I have to say about it....


I came into this whole experience not believing I deserved to be there. It was a weird situation and I was weary of being in All-State. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. But once we arrived there and I moved up one chair to become 1st chair third clarinet, I knew something good would come out of it all.

Our director, Mark Camphouse, was so freaking awesome! He was so chill, funny, and encouraging, but we still got a ton of stuff done. He picked amazing songs. If you care at all, you can look them up (Yankee Doodlin', Two American Canvases, Symphonies of Gaia, and Dance of the Jesters). At first, it seemed to me that my section was slightly arrogant. Althought not gonna lie, some of them still are and I'm not best friends with all of them. But I did end up getting to know some of them and became super good friends. Shout out to my new girl Andrea from Viewmont! This delightful young lady and I are friends and she kept me sane in the depths of the third clarinets.

Looking past all the varieties of people there were, the musical experience I had was priceless and something I will never forget. If anything, I am grateful I got into All State not for the recognition and the chance to earn master musician, but for the pieces of music I played, and the fact I am a little bit better of player having done it. Even after a day and a half total of rehearsing the 4 pieces, I was so emotionally tied to the music. I loved it all. And even if I didn't really love the piece I was playing, I loved how I had to struggle with some parts to become better at it. The concert was my favorite. No one I knew had actually come for me - to see me and hear me play, but I actually liked it that way. Call me arrogant, but I was playing for me, myself, and I. And I gave everything I had, just so that I might listen to these gorgeous pieces for one last time.

In the end I'm glad I did it. I don't care if the other people thought I wasn't a good enough player, because quite frankly, maybe they're right. But I'll never see them again, and I left the concert with a bigger love of music and band. Go team!

Here is my absolute favorite song we played. I cry every time I listen to it. If there ever were a theme for my life, THIS would be it:

Symphonies of Gaia