Trumpets are really easy to start on because the mouthpiece isn’t huge like the trombone, french horn or tuba (Ever notice that most of the brass instruments names start with a t? It’s weird.) They also don’t require a lot of air like a tuba, or a precise length to push your arm out to like a trombone. They have three easy buttons and you just have to memorize the fingerings, which isn’t so hard. 

     You also can play lots of parts. You can play really high notes or you can play low notes. 
You can play the background melody, but that doesn’t happen a lot. My favorite part of being a trumpet is playing solos. Everyone knows who’s playing because we have a very distinctive sound that I think sounds really nice. We also can play as fast as we can switch fingerings, which is a lot faster than some of the instruments with lots of keys. 
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     Trumpet is also the best brass instrument to play because we don’t require a lot of air, so we can focus on our sound. My mom said that if you learn trumpet, you can play all the other brass instruments. We don’t have a huge case that you bump into everything like trombone, french horn or tuba, although I bump my case in a lot of things. 

​     Wow, that’s a lot of reasons why trumpet is that best instrument. Maybe I’m not just making stuff up, trumpet might actually be that best instrument. Think about it, and hopefully, you will visit again! 
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Image by MasterTux from Pixabay
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It is not possible to not hear music at some point in your life, but if you do not like it, then you have a hard life. Music is therapeutic, it is fun to listen to, and humans are one of the few species that it sounds good too. Music is just sounds to most animals, so we are lucky.

 Music has been proven to be therapeutic to us and helps with emotional therapy. People can actually heal (emotionally) by listening to music. When I get angry, if  I just listen to calm music, I calm down.

Music also takes part in a lot of the fun we have. Movies would not be movies without music. Most video games would not be video games without music. Without music, the world would be dull. Music livens up the world because it enhances whatever we do.  If you were playing a horror game and it didn’t have music, it wouldn’t be a horror game because there would not be as much suspense. All in all, the world would not be the same without music and we would not have as good of a life if not for music.

     After we are done with our concerts, there is not much to do, except to get better.  This is a bit strange for me, because we have always had a concert to prepare for during the year.  

     During this time, we are playing mostly from our book.  The only thing about this is that it is much much much more simple than our regular music.  We also play from sheet music and this is also out of the norm because we are not perfecting it as we would be playing it in a concert.  

     If you made the small group ensemble concert, we are still practicing for that. It is a very different atmosphere.  We are still learning, but it feels a bit strange.  Though this time is a bit unusual, I still like it because it is very laid back.  

 Image by fabrixx from Pixabay
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     I was only in 3rd grade when I thought, "Hey, I want to play the cello". Of course, there were things that led me up to think that. Like seeing my current 7th-grade friends play in the school orchestra and drinking hot chocolate while listening to my friend’s mother, who is a cellist in some Ohio Symphony. At the elementary school I attended, school orchestra began in 4th grade. 

     So like any other person, I began to play in 4th grade and was happy with my decision. I also joined a sing-and-dance choir that same year. In 5th grade, I was introduced to band. I played the Glockenspiel (bells) with only one other person. I sadly wasn’t very interested and didn’t sign up for band this year. I just had too much on my plate since I continued choir. I barely even had time to eat lunch!

​For quite some time now, we have been working in small groups.  We all got to choose our groups of two to five people.  We all pick and arrange a piece or selection and make it fit our group.  This is not just overnight.  Every member of the group needs to contribute.  Everyone also needs to practice at home.  

This has taught me that in a small group ensemble, or any group project, everyone needs to bear their weight.  I think that this was a good project because it is teaching us responsibility and that we need to be practicing at home.  Particularly in my group, I know that I have to practice because the piece is challenging for the whole group.  Practicing is not only beneficial to the whole group, but to every individual.  This seems like a fun and educational project that teaches us a whole lot.  

Come hear our small ensembles Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 in our auditorium.
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What do you think of when I say, “succeed”? Well, perhaps you think of achieving something. But is that authentically it? No! Succeeding takes failures, practice, and hardships. It is not just the “success” part. It is the procedure of which you go through. In our orchestra, success is an immense step to take. It goes from simply learning the instrument, practicing on how to play together, and perfecting the piece.

The concert on April 17 was a blast for all of us kids. We played great and everyone was collaborating. The 6th grade orchestra played really well, and the 7th and 8th graders played fantastically. I was really impressed by the song called, "Fantasia On a Theme from Thailand" by Richard Meyer, played by the 7th graders. "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo" by Bob Phillips was also terrific, played by the 8th graders. Throughout these pieces, we stayed together. If Violin 2 was completely off and Violin 1 was going too fast, and the Cellos and Violas sped up or slowed down, the result would be a huge mess. Glad that didn’t happen!

Everyone has to work as a team, as Ms. Neville said, “We need to look at orchestra like a rowing boat.” We have to all work together by playing together. You can’t just fake it and not believe in yourself.

​Why is there speed? It is for us to stay together. Why are there certain parts, such as violin 1 and violin 2? It is so an orchestra can have different melodies, and have a variety of music. Because of these different parts, we need to play together. You can’t play without sound, or just give up. Just because others are confused about what to play and back off, it doesn’t mean you should also back off. Play with confidence. Make orchestral success! 

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     In just a month, Smith Middle School will be bringing the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast to life,  with eighth graders as the main characters this strong cast will definitely bring the show to life, or perhaps Human Again. The show will consist of your favorite household items, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Babette, Chip, and Madame.  

     The story of Beauty and the Beast is going to be an amazing musical to watch. The same hit cast from "Hairspray" returns from Last year! Melodie T as Belle, N'zai D as The Beast, Kaushik S as Lumiere, Mila R as Mrs. Potts, Ashlyn F as Babette, Lauren K as Madame, Caleb G as Gaston, and Yours Truly as Cogsworth. With these cast members, we will surely bring the house down. With the designers working with the wonderful Ms. Teddy, all the iconic costumes will come to life. 

    This is my last year at Smith including others. We want Beauty and the Beast to leave a lasting impression. With Melodie in the iconic yellow dress to Madame's wardrobe selection. This all couldn't have been done without Ms. Danka and Ms. Pizzalato. Without them, this musical would not have been possible. Come watch this Tale as Old as Time on May 9-11.

     There are various kinds of music; jazz, classical, etc. Several kinds of music can sound better being played by different groups, like a full band or orchestra, or a small group of one of the two. Some pieces of music, in fact, may sound better and less confusing when played by a small group of people. 

     In 6th grade band, we are working on a mini-ensemble project in which we get in a small group and choose any piece to play with the collection of the instruments we have. In my mini ensemble, we are playing a fairly well-known tune called, "Heart and Soul", and I am playing the piano. I enjoy being in a mini-ensemble because it is fun to experiment with different songs and see which sounds best with the instruments you have. I enjoy choosing a song I enjoy and trying to improve in it, and I also like being able to work together with your groupmates to try to get the best sound achievable. 

     This is something you normally can't do in a big band. It is exciting to try and play your own choice of music, which was chosen by you rather than playing a song chosen by your band director for the whole band to play (no offense Ms. Neville). Creating a small ensemble and experimenting with the notes different instruments play can make playing more fun for all your members and give you better sound. Overall, I am thrilled about the concert and I am glad we had the chance to do this project.

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     I went to the musical "Hamilton on Broadway" over this recent spring break. The musical was really good but like with everything there were some flaws. In this musical, you are taken on an account of the life and death of the founding father Alexander Hamilton. Some facts you may learn from this musical are: Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant from the Caribbean.  He was the first secretary of the treasury in the United States of America, and he was a big part of why America won the revolutionary war.

     The opening song was a song called, "Alexander Hamilton."  It really started the musical out with a bang. The song talked about Alexander Hamilton's life before he came to America. Then the rest of act #1 would be about Alexander joining the army, getting married, and America winning the Revolutionary War. Other notable events include Alexander Hamilton meeting George Washington, meeting his best friend John Laurens, and him having his first child. 

     Some of my favorite songs from the first act of the musical were: "My Shot," "Right Hand Man," "Satisfied," and one of my favorites from the whole show is the "Battle of York Town." The last song from this act was a song called, "Nonstop." This song basically explains that Alexander Hamilton went to law school after the Revolutionary War. It also explains how Alexander Hamilton wrote a big chunk of the Federalist Papers. This is the perfect ending to act one of the Musical Hamilton. I only have 1 criticism of act one: the person who was playing Alexander Hamilton was not really good at rapping. 


     Just like the first act, the second act starts with a bang. The opening song is a song called, "What Did I Miss?" This song introduces the character, Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was in France from 1785 to 1789. In this act, you will witness Alexander Hamilton's rise to power and his downfall. After that, he gets killed by his longtime frenemy, Aaron Burr. Two of my favorite songs from this act are the "Election of 1800" and "What Did I Miss?" In the end, Eliza (his wife) talks about how his story lives on in her.