Auditions
My journey all started in junior high when I first auditioned for band as a percussionist. All the 6th graders were buzzing with excitement as each student was called down individually for auditions. Sitting at small desk in my little red dress I waited for my turn. Waiting for my name to be called was nerve-racking, but I trusted myself to do well. Dark curls bounced on my shoulders as I quickly stood up at the sound of my name. My short legs hastened to quickly walk down the hallway, stopping to glance at my reflection for a moment and compose myself to look confident. Walking into the audition room, large shiny instruments caught my eye as they sat lined up along the back. There my band instructor was awaiting my arrival. His face lit up when I walked into the audition room, his furry mustache turning upward with his smile. “Good morning, you must be Sarah….Mikesell?” he looked closely at his clipboard to make sure he got my name right. I nodded my head up and down, my curls bouncing in front of my face.
“That’s right,” I giggled, people usually had trouble knowing how to pronounce my name.
“Well, miss Sarah, what instruments are you interested in trying?” A smile spread across my face and immediately I turn my head towards the large shiny drums taking up a good portion of the room. There were multiple reasons that lead me to want to choose percussion. Band instructors required that percussionist have at least 4 years of piano behind them, which I had. Piano and percussion are similar when finding the rhythm and knowing when to play the keys. As a dancer, finding, keeping, and feeling the beat of music came natural to me. Also, both of my older brothers were percussionist and listening to them play put me in awe, their music filling throughout my whole body. My dream was to one day march in High School as a snare drummer like my brothers. Nothing was as exciting to me as watching them march down in parades. I already knew percussion was what I wanted most, I would consider nothing else.
“I want to play the drums please!” The instructor looked over my small frame with hesitation. Having a small young girl want to play the large percussion instruments was not what he expected.
“Are you sure? They’re pretty big and heavy. Wouldn’t you rather try the flute first? It seems about more your size.” He started to pull out a small case. I started shaking my head slowly. I don’t want to play anything but the drums, why would he say that? Confused but determined I stood a little straighter.
“No, I really want to try out the drums. It’s what I really want to play.” The instructor sighed, but handed me a pair of drumsticks.
“Okay, if that’s what you want.” Yes, very much so. I held the drumstick firmly in my hands. “I’m going to sing a beat and I want you to march to a beat and drum at the same time.” I wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction of telling me I didn’t have what it takes. Up and down I followed the beat, doing my best to concentrate on the sound he was making. Giving me one last look up and down the instructor scribbled something down. “Well young lady, looks like we have a new drummer. Good job.” My lips curved into a smile, and walking back to class I felt my whole face glowing with delight.
Since then I have been faced on multiple occasion with people doubting my ability, judging me from first appearance and size. I struggled trying to understand why people thought I wouldn’t do well or succeed. From that point on I worked hard to prove them wrong, that I was capable of doing hard things. Yet, even when I was first auditioning, I never would have guessed I would one day play first snare drum and be leader of the entire high school marching band.
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