“I loved being in band. I did high school band, and then I did drum core and indoor and couldn’t get away from the activity, even though I tried. So it was kind of obvious where the universe was pushing me. I tried getting away from this thing and I very much couldn’t, so… Let’s just go all in! So I went and got my music degree and now I’m here! And I’m loving it, it was a good choice.”

“I love percussion for how expressive it can be; it’s not just drums. It’s not just ‘boom boom’s, it’s marimbas, xylophone, it’s tambourine. And you know the dynamic range of each of those instruments, the color of each of those instruments. I think there’s so much we can do even outside of the box; I’ve seen using crystal glasses or using the trash can. Anything can be a percussion instrument, and I think that’s the best part of what we do.”

“I started band in sixth grade, did it all through middle school, all through high school. I did pick up some music stuff before I got into band though, so my parents were active in church, choirs, and Handel choirs, and I have an older brother who is a percussionist so I kind of knew about it before I got into it, which made me so excited when my time finally came.”

 “In December of 2020”

“I only majored in music education. With most music programs you’re not allowed to minor because music can be so demanding. You’ve got your band rehearsals, you’re practicing for your solo and literature, you’re practicing for your band rehearsals. There’s not much time to minor in anything else. It’s just music all day every day. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, so just south of Waco, is where I got my music degree.”